


The Draconian

by atarostarling



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternative Perspective, Attempt at Humor, Epic, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fantasy, Fluff and Angst, Mild Language, Romance, Spot the FF references
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-04
Updated: 2017-08-29
Packaged: 2018-11-23 09:27:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 71,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11399751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/atarostarling/pseuds/atarostarling
Summary: [An alternative telling of the main story of FFXV, certain details won’t match with the game.] A vivacious girl with a mysterious past joins the boys on their journey to Galdin Quay. She runs from her past and her responsibilities as she bonds with the group, especially since she’s fallen head over heels for Ignis since the moment she laid eyes on him. The Strategist, however, seems to want nothing to do with her. Ignis x female reader.





	1. A Storm in the Desert

**Author's Note:**

> After a few lovely people convinced me to, I'm posting my fic here on AO3, but it originally was posted on Tumblr. I hope you like it!

A low, threatening growl from behind caused them to pivot. The Bodyguard, Gladiolus, summoned his Greatsword while the Strategist, Ignis, called forth his daggers. The two of them placed themselves in front of their Prince, Noctis, the future King of Lucis. It was their lifelong duty to serve and protect the heir to the throne, but throughout their years in service their instinct to shield Noctis was rooted in the brotherhood they shared. They faced the origin of the menacing sound, who turned out to be the Sharpshooter, Prompto. His wide eyed look of confusion soon replaced with a sheepish grin as he placed a hand on his stomach and let out a nervous laugh. 

“Are you for real, Prompto? We just left Takka’s. Don’t you remember polishing off that bowl of chili?” said Gladio, who along with Ignis dismissed their weapons. 

“Need I remind you that he also assisted me in finishing the jambalaya that I ordered?” added Ignis resting a hand on his hip. Noctis couldn’t help but smirk, usually he was the target of these types of criticisms. 

“Come on guys, give me a break! We left Takka’s hours ago, we’ve been running around like crazy since then!” replied Prompto, the newest member to the entourage that is heading to Altissia for Noctis to wed his betrothed Lunafreya. 

“I could use a break…” Noctis muttered, kicking a stone across the dirt absent minded. Prompto’s face lights up as Ignis and Gladio glance over to the prince, concern written on their features. Noctis was famous for his laziness and love of napping, they had just began their journey and it was already showing warning signs of becoming an arduous event. 

Ignis sighed, placing a gloved hand over his eyes before saying “I know of a safe haven nearby, we can set up camp and retire for the day there.” 

“Seriously, Iggy? You’re too soft on them.” reacted Gladio. 

Ignis chose to ignore Gladio’s protest and began to lead the party towards their new destination. 

On the walk to the haven, Ignis spotted a tree with Leiden peppers just ripe for picking near the roots. “That’s it! I’ve co-” 

“Woah, guys, what is that over there?!” Prompto cut off Ignis before he could finish his thought and pointed towards the rock formation. A person was sprawling on the ground, seemingly unconscious.

“Looks like someone didn’t come into the wilderness prepared, let’s go see what’s up.” said Gladiolus.

“I’ll accompany you all shortly, I want to obtain some ingredients for dinner.” The three nodded before leaving Ignis and they began the walk up to the haven to investigate the mysterious figure. 

Upon closer inspection, they saw that the person sprawled like a starfish on the rocks was a girl. She was out cold, but definitely breathing, when they got closer they heard her groaning. Prompto, who was subtly hiding behind the tall, muscly bodyguard, suddenly sprang forward with a smile on his face. “Woah…she’s pretty cute!” 

“Well go ahead and wake her up, she might think you’re her savior” Noctis teased. 

Prompto shushed his best friend before making his way over to the girl. He dropped to his knees slowly beside as to not scare her, and gently reached a hand to her shoulder to shake her awake. “Hey…uhh…are you-WAHHH!”

It all happened as fast as lightening striking the earth. Her eyes opened, her arms reached back; palms planted on the ground behind her, she swung her legs back over her head before pushing herself off the ground. Her feet landed directly into Prompto’s chest, causing him to stumble onto his back. She sprang towards him, straddled him and placed her forearm on his neck, a wild look in her eyes as Prompto choked on his words for help. 

Gladio strode towards the chaos, “Easy now…what the?!” He had attempted to wrap the young woman in a bear hug and lift her from his struggling comrade, only she seemed to have anticipated his actions. She grabbed his left arm with her right, rolled herself under the arm and twisted it so that his instinct was to turn his body to avoid his arm being broken. While he was off balance, she took the opportunity to trip him using his body weight so that he landed in a heap near Prompto. Frantically she glanced at Noctis, who was too busy being stunned at this girl who had managed to floor the man who constantly bested him in sparring sessions, to react to her approaching him with violent intentions. 

That’s when Ignis arrived and threw himself before Noctis, his arm outstretched as if to create a larger barrier around the prince. He stared at her with pale green eyes behind his glasses, analyzing her. Her eyes were darting everywhere, which is when he concluded that she was evidently frightened. He could see it in her breathing, her fists trembled ever so slightly as she struggled to keep them raised - exhaustion written all over her physique. Finally, in all the commotion, her eyes found his and she froze, lips parting slightly, the fire in her [eye colour] eyes extinguishing immediately. The need to gaze upon him for hours to take him all in started to take over her being; her knees began to weaken in the presence of this man. All these thoughts racing through her mind meant her fists lowered slightly, however almost immediately she shook her head ever so slightly, as if snapping herself out of the reverie, and her fists came back up to her face as she prepared to move forward. 

“I don’t have any gil if that’s what you’re after” She growled, shifting on her feet and looking in both directions to ensure she was ready for action from all around her. 

Ignis stood up a little straighter, trying to use his body language to defuse the situation. “I can assure you, we’re not going to hurt you.” Her heart fluttered at the sound of his voice. She felt a rush of adrenaline course through her as well as an intense annoyance that he was somehow bewitching her with his gaze. Who was this man?! 

Grunting from behind, Gladio made his way back to standing, rubbing his arm that felt like it had been yanked out of its socket. “You think we’re thieves?!” 

“W-we were just trying to see if you were ok! You were out cold!” Prompto stammered, rubbing his chest where she had kicked him. She turned back to face Ignis, who nodded at her. 

Almost as if a switch had been flicked, her body loosened immediately and she stood up casually. As she brushed her hands on her clothes, Ignis observed what she was wearing - a simple white vest underneath a black shirt that was tied loosely underneath her bosom, as well as black trousers that flowed to the ground making it look like a long skirt. Smiling warmly, she threw her hand in front of Ignis indicating she wanted to shake his and introduce herself. He hesitated for a moment before shaking her hand. “My name is ___, pleased to meet you…?” 

“Ignis.” 

“Ignis…” she repeated his name back to him with a smirk on her lips, shaking his gloved hand a little longer than socially acceptable. Noctis walked around to join Gladio and Prompto, all three were staring at the awkward situation unfolding before their eyes. Ignis’s eyes were flicking over to them, sending them a distress signal. 

A thunderous growl erupted in the uncomfortable silence, Ignis took the opportunity to withdraw his hand as he joined his friends in staring at Prompto. “It’s not me, guys!!” 

Suddenly ___ dropped to ground, replicating a starfish once more, “you wouldn’t happen to have anything to eat would you?”

[End of part I]


	2. The Agreement

“Oh...my...GOD” ___   exclaimed, mouth full of curry. The four friends jumped a little at her outburst as they prepared to sit down and eat. “This is the best curry I’ve had in my life! Ignis, how the hell did you make this?” Ignis stirred the food in the pot, waiting for the rice to finish. ___ had been hovering over his shoulder long enough for him to succumb to allowing her a small taste of his cooking, reluctantly. 

“It’s really not that difficult, I can tell you the recipe if you wish” replied Ignis, not taking his eyes from his concoction. 

___ went to dip her spoon into the pot again, but Ignis swatted her hand away this time. “You can wait until the rice is finished, I’ll tell you when it’s ready.” ___ knew by his tone that she better not insist, so with a pouting face she went to the camp fire where the rest of the guys were already sat. She only saw one chair left and knew that it was Ignis’s seat, so she opted to sit on the ground. 

Prompto leaped in the air as soon as he saw her, “You can sit here if you want?” ___ smiled warmly at his kindness. 

“No, thank you though, I’m already intruding enough for one day. This can be my punishment for how I introduced myself” she replied, winking playfully. Prompto blushed a little before sitting back down.

“Where did you learn those moves, anyway?” Gladio asked. 

“Heh...my father taught me. I used to think it was pointless, but I must admit it’s come in handy.”

“He must be one hell of a fighter. I’m still bitter you caught me off guard.” said Gladio.

“Yeah, he was.” ___ said, a sadness in her voice transformed the fearsome girl into a vulnerable child. Prompto opened his mouth to say something, but he couldn’t find the words. Noctis glanced up from his phone and observed ___ staring into the fire. He couldn’t tell if the tears in her eyes were just from the smoke or a painful memory she was reliving. 

“Come on Ignis, I’m starving to death over here!” Whined the prince.. 

“You cannot rush perfection, Noct” Replied Ignis, unaffected by Noctis’s impatience, still facing the stove where he began serving the food. 

“Let me help you!” Prompto said, rushing up to assist his friend.

“So, are you guys on some sort of vacation or something?” ___ asked. 

“You could say that, we’re just on a little road trip before visiting this guys fiance in Altissia.” Gladio replied. She noticed Noctis’s cheeks blush slightly as he struggled not to smile. 

“Oooh, so this is like some sort of bachelor party huh? You know I was at a pit stop and some creepy guy told me there’s a place called Lest..allum, I think? Anyway, he was saying the women at a club there are supposedly very...gifted, if you know what I’m sayin’. Granted, the guy was saying I looked like I could work there, but still.” Gladio nodded enthusiastically as ___ spoke, then playfully punched Noctis’s arm, who tuts at him in reply. “Well at least one of you is game.” ___ continued, sharing a knowing smirk with Gladiolus. 

A short while later, the five of them sit around the fire, eating, casually discussing the days events and the monster they faced before encountering ___ . Meanwhile, ___ is focused completely on her food, eating it with an almost monstrous intention. When she had spooned the final grain of rice into her mouth she looked up to find the four men staring at her in shock. She couldn’t help but laugh at herself. _Much better than trying to act sheepish around them_ , she thought. “I’ll take any leftovers, boys!” Noctis was the first to crack into a chuckle, before the rest of them let out laughter in disbelief. 

“So ___ , where are you from?” Prompto inquired, leaning forward on his chair. 

“Oh...you know...it’s such a small place you guys have probably never heard of it! Everyone knows everyone where I’m from, it’s that kinda place. Not many people visit or leave, you know. What about you guys, where are you from?”

Puzzled looks were exchanged between them,  making ___ feel a little sheepish. 

“Isn’t it obvious?” Gladio said first.

“Uhh, no? This is the first time I’ve left home so consider me to be a complete newbie when it comes to the fashions of Eos.”

“We’re from Insomnia” Prompto said, pride lighting up his face. Ignis shot him a look that made his pride disappear immediately, like he just revealed a secret he wasn’t privy to. ___ shifted a little, clearly taken back by their answer. 

“What I’m curious about is what you were doing out here all alone, with no provisions and no one escorting you?” Ignis asked ___ . The eye contact he held made her shiver all over. She knew instantly that those eyes were going to lead her down a path she had no hope in navigating. Suddenly she wanted to tell him everything, where she was from, what had happened, where she was going, but how? They were from Insomnia, would they strike her where she sat if she revealed the truth? Her heart was telling her that they would not harm her, she felt a warmth in this group of friends that she had never been apart of in her life, even if it was just for one evening she wanted to feel connected to it in some way. 

“I’m on what you could call a pilgrimage. It’s a test of spiritual and physical strength. I had to leave my home with nothing and make it by myself, which explains the lack of provisions and company. It’s all part of the journey, you see. I didn’t exactly ask to go on this pilgrimage, it was... required of me by my ancestors. I’m having a little trouble getting started if I’m honest.” ___ played with the laces on her boots as she spoke, looking to the ground. 

“So how long have you be travelling?” Noctis asked, suddenly interested in her. She’s startled to hear him talk momentarily.

“A few weeks, I think. I’ve been trying to collect some bounty money to get me by, but it is hard on my own...” An idea suddenly sprang into her mind, “Hey! Can I travel with you guys for a while?! I’ll help you guys out when I can, I promise I won’t get in the way. I have to do some research before I can really start my journey, so it’d be great to have some company along the way. Whaddya say?” 

Ignis stood up suddenly, “Noct, can I speak with you in private for a moment?” 

Noctis looked between ___ and Ignis momentarily “...Sure, Iggy.” He slowly got up and walked out of ear shot with The Strategist. ___ could see by the body language of the conversation that Ignis was trying to convince Noctis not to let her go with them. Gladio and Prompto tried to talk about something to disguise the conversation happening between the two, but ___  focused on the discussion about her in the distance. Noctis walked back over to the group, while Ignis lingered behind staring into the distance, shaking his head slightly. Her heart sunk witnessing Ignis’s disdain over having her travel with them. 

“You can come with us, ___ , but eventually we’ll be getting on a boat to Altissia. We’ll have to part ways with you then. Is that cool?” Noctis said, standing in front of her, arms folded. 

 ___ held out her hand for Noctis to shake. “Deal.” They smile at each other, she felt a connection to this young man, even though he barely said a word to her since they met. 

“Great, that means less leg room for me in the Regalia.” Gladio mused out loud, but from the playful smile on his face ___ surmised he didn’t mind too much. ___     couldn’t help but smile broadly and look around at her new travel companions, Prompto has already taken multiple pictures commemorating the moment. Ignis finally walked over to the fire and began collecting his dish along with his friends, the clattering of the utensils punctuating his frustration as he made his way over to the kitchen to clean up. ___ ’s smile faded, despite how much food she ate her stomach felt hollow with nerves. Noctis recognized the disappointment in her face and tapped her arm. 

“Don’t worry about Iggy, he’s just a bit of a control freak.” He smiled comfortingly at her, which she can’t help but return. 

“Whatever you say, dude. Does he really hate me that much already?”

“Ignis? Nah. I swear he hates me most days. Seriously, he’ll be fine. Just talk about how much you love Ebony coffee inconspicuously at some point and you’ll be fast friends.”  

Despite his coldness towards her and his reaction to her joining them, she couldn’t help but feel drawn to Ignis. After all, no one...absolutely no one, had made her world stand still as he had done when he looked at her. 

[End of Part II]


	3. Snakes and Lists

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you would like to support me in writing this fic, I’d be seriously over the moon if you bought me a coffee on my ko-fi page: https://ko-fi.com/atarostarling  
> Please do not feel obligated!!

“Hey Noct, given any more thought about that bar in Lestallum?” ___ said with a smirk that Gladio shared with her. Gladio elbowed her in the arm in approval of the sudden change in conversation. Noctis was walking behind the group, hands in pockets, dragging his feet as usual. Despite his advanced stamina and abilities in combat he sure knew how to present himself as a slob. Ignis “tsked” at the conversation immediately, folding his arms and looking at ___ disapprovingly while Prompto looked to Noctis expectantly.

Despite being absolutely smitten with Ignis, she had the tendency to irritate him immensely from time to time. She had been in similar situations before when she was younger, she’d have a hopeless crush on a desirable acquaintance but had always concluded they were simply too out of her league. To cope with her feelings she had put up a front around them, treating them just the same as her other friends. Deep down though she felt the intensity of her crush growing with time, she analyzed every little detail of their interactions, while frustratingly not letting it be known how she really felt about them. She was used to teasing her friends, which she knew Ignis would always find tedious, but if she treated him any differently wouldn’t that make them suspicious?

“This again? Jeez, are you sure you’re not a lesbian or something? You keep hassling me about this bar.” Noct responded, pretending to be annoyed but clearly proud of his jab at her sexuality thinking it would silence her. Prompto’s jaw dropped and his head almost spun off his neck as he looked over to ___ for her rebuttal. However, she shrugged casually.

“I’ve had romances with women, though I wouldn’t call myself a lesbian, if I feel an attraction it doesn’t matter what they have between their legs.” Gladio coughed to try and cover up the grin that was plastered on his face while the younger of the companions stuttered over their response to her answer.

“We won’t be in Lestallum any time soon, in fact we should be heading to Galdin Quay any day now when your highness decides to stop keeping his bride to be waiting” Ignis said, hoping the mention of the Oracle would snap Noctis out of his current train of thought.

___ playfully stuck her tongue out at Ignis. “Lighten up, Specs, I was just trying to liven up the mood. I think we’ve all heard enough about your new recipes for a lifetime.”

He raised an eyebrow at her in response; ___ couldn’t help but remember the night where her and Noctis had sat giggling for what seemed like hours at the thought of Ignis plucking them to maintain their perfect shape. She turned to Noctis and ran a finger over her own eyebrow and the two immediately began stifling laughter. Ignis shot a look at them and they immediately looked away from one another as if nothing had happened, mumbling about the weather as a coverup.

“So Noct, tell me about Lunafreya” ___ asked once the moment had passed.

“Oh that’s right, I forgot you were a hopeless hermit to the world until a couple of months ago” he replied.

“Har de har har. Just tell me more about her. I wanna see if I approve”

“Not like that would ever change anything” Ignis quipped. Noctis smacked him on the arm in her defense. She had gotten used to his digs at her, they usually played out when she annoyed him but subsided in time.

“She’s…I dunno. She’s nice.”

“Woah, Noct, slow down buddy. Not sure I can handle all this gushing at once” she said. There was a wave of chuckling among the men, even Ignis couldn’t help but guffaw, as Noct groaned in protest.

“She’s a wonderful, talented, kind, amiable woman. She and Noctis have been friends since childhood, I think this match couldn’t be any more suited for the both of them.” Ignis filled in the blanks on behalf of Noctis, who began to blush slightly.

“Does she sound like your type, ___?” Gladio asked with a cheeky smirk on his chiseled features.

“Nah, I like my women to be dangerous. Besides, I am predominantly drawn to men so you can all stop fantasizing about me shacking up with some girl, already.”

“Aww, man!” Prompto joked. ___ suddenly raised her fist and lunged at him to psyche him out. He cowered away, giggling as he did so knowing her bluff all too well.

“So who is your type then?” Gladio said, suddenly standing upright with his hands on his hips, tensing every muscle he possibly could and looking into the distance.

“Even if you were my type I don’t think I’d want to inflate your ego!” Gladio let out the breath he was holding and laughed. ___ continued, “I dunno. Tall, light hair, bright eyes, mysterious. While you have an impeccable physique, Gladi-bear, I like a man who is more lean. The kind where if he were to take his shirt off you’d be surprised at the toned muscles underneath. Not all this showy business you’re all about!” It took everything in her power to not glance at Ignis as she essentially described him.

“Alright, alright, I get it. I’m just too sexy for you.”

“That’s definitely it.”

They suddenly found themselves at the peak of a hilltop looking across a stunning landscape, a river running nearby. The conversation died immediately as they stood to marvel at the beauty of the scene before them.

“Hey ___, strike a pose for me, would ya?” Prompto had whipped out his camera and was motioning for ___ to stand before the vast landscape. When she first began travelling with the Insomnian’s she felt intimidated by Prompto’s lens, opting to throw her palm in front of her face so the camera couldn’t steal her image. Prompto had made it his personal mission to capture her likeness on film, but she seemed to have a sixth sense for when he was about to push the shutter. However, one night he sat down next to her, leaned his body on her arm and showed her the preview screen of his camera. In that moment ___ was suddenly taken back by the picture he had taken of her. In the photograph she was looking out of frame, a soft expression gracing her face. There was a soft smile on her lips, her hair was blowing ever so slightly in the evening breeze, the setting sun on the horizon reflected in her eyes. She knew exactly what she was looking at in this picture…Ignis was explaining a cooking technique enthusiastically and she was transfixed by his voice, the carefully chosen words he used, the sharp angles on his jawline, his plump lips. Reflecting on the moment that the photograph was taken she remembered hearing the sound of the shutter closing, but was too captivated by the Strategist, too conscious of the prickling chill that had centered on the back of her neck to notice Prompto’s sneak voyeuristic attack. Prompto looked at her face as she studied the picture, noticed her cheeks turning red and the smile she was so desperately trying to hide. She wasn’t used to liking a picture of herself. He used his body weight to bump her over onto her side so she had to throw a hand onto the ground to steady herself before laughing and jumping away from her hand as it tried to smack him playfully.

Today ___ was in a good mood, so she happily leapt in front of the camera. She placed her right leg over her left, pushed out her left hip slightly, raised her right arm before letting her forearm fall behind her neck. She tilted her head slightly to the left, her eyes cast down, trying her best to look sultry while Prompto excitedly snapped multiple pictures, throwing himself around to get every angle possible mentioning repeatedly about loving the lighting. The warm sun suddenly turned cold, a large shadow cast in front of her. Initially she thought it was merely a passing cloud, until she heard her friends yell at her to run. She ducked just in time as Noctis’ sword materialized above her, his body not far behind. As she rolled out of the way and glanced over her shoulder, she was faced with a Midgardsormr. Prompto helped her to her feet as Ignis and Gladio ran to join Noctis in his fight with the monstrous serpent. “You’ve got our backs, right?” He said with a wink, bouncing backwards a few paces before turning around and summoning his pistol. ___ smiled in reply before climbing a rock overlooking the fight, observing the four men tactfully surrounding the beast, taking turns to draw it’s attention and dodge while the others struck it’s body with their weapons. It was evident early on when she joined the four that she wasn’t much help battling these beasts with just her martial arts training, though she had tried her best. Since she had only ever sparred with humans, she understood their form well, but when it came to the wildlife of Eos she was inexperienced. Swallowing her pride she opted to store the curatives in her backpack, throwing them to anyone who required a boost.

“____! Assistance!” Ignis yelled. Heart thumping, she pulled a hi-potion out of the bag, and threw it expertly at Ignis. He glanced at the trajectory of the potion, then averted his gaze to the Midgardsormr, catching the item without looking and consuming it. How does he do that? ___ thought. Despite knowing her accuracy was impeccable, she still couldn’t grasp at how he was able to stay one step ahead in combat. Close by, Noctis struck the beast with his polearm, the giant snake contorted itself to face Noct to snap its jaws around him, only before it’s giant fangs could ensare Noctis he had kicked up his polearm above his head as Ignis sprung into the air to catch the weapon and slam it down into the beasts head. The synchronicity of their attacks was a privilege to observe. They worked the battlefield with a playfulness that she knew could only be down to years of practice. Though they had always been conscious to make her feel validated in their fights, her heart tugged at the thought that they didn’t need her. In her moment of doubt, she had completely missed the sound of Prompto choking.

“___ what are you waiting for?! Prompto needs an antidote!” Gladiolus gruffly yelled at her. At this point tossing an antidote wasn’t going to cut it, he was already on all fours swaying under the effects of the poison.

“Shit” ___ cursed. She scrambled down the rocks, scraping the skin on her legs on the way down, before rushing over to Prompto. Falling to her knees she frantically found the antidote in her backpack and gave it to the Quicksilver.

“What took you so long?” Prompto smiled feebly at her, she knew it was a joke but the knowledge that she had let him down stung.

“____! Behind you!” Gladio shouted. She didn’t have time to assess the situation, instinct seized her reflexes, she jumped to her feet, planting them firmly on the ground before flinging her leg around her to perform a spinning kick. Her foot made contact with the foreboding snake’s fang, knocking its deadly bite off its course before Noctis warped over to add an additional blow with his sword. Before she had time to react, Ignis was in front of her, his back facing her. “Lay low, one more push should suffice.” Nodding feebly, she scrambled back to her vantage point, by the time she was back in position the fight was done. Noctis was leaning over his knees, chest heaving. Ignis wandered over to his side, gently pulling on his arm to lift him up but Noctis batted it out of the way. Prompto raised his fists high in the air in jubilation “We did it!! We’re alive!”

Gladio turned to face ___, anger burning in his eyes. She made her way down from her vantage point knowing that Gladio was glaring at her every step of the way. When she was finally in ear shot he began his lecture. “Do you want to tell me just what happened back there?” he asked her.

“Come on, Gladio, there was so much going on I just missed him. I got there in time to give it to him didn’t I?” What was she supposed to say? She was too busy gawping at Ignis to notice her friend was in trouble? They’d never let her live it down.

“That’s not the point and you know it.”

“Guys, it’s no big deal really, I shouldn’t have got careless anyways” Prompto said.

Gladio didn’t take his gaze from ___. He had become somewhat of a trainer to her, they frequently sparred at camp. She had indirectly taught him her style of combat and in return he had provided additional training for her to hone her skills by adapting his own techniques into her style of fighting. Their dynamic was interesting since he could so easily slip between being an authoritative figure and also playfully flirting with her. It was the type of flirting that she never took seriously and he never intended her to. However it was common for them to bicker, but she held a great respect for him because of the time he spent in helping her. She found herself crumbling a little under his stern gaze. She scooted her feet together, stood up tall before saying “it won’t happen again” sternly. He contemplated her before his expression softened.

“That was a pretty sweet kick you did, I think you knocked that fang straight out of its mouth you know. Let’s go find it, you can keep it as a souvenir of the time you almost killed Prompto” The group relaxed, ___ most of all, before running after him for his comment.

Camp was set up with an efficient pace as usual. The adrenaline from the fight still coursing through the veins of the men. ___ focused on setting up her own tent, which she had purchased the day after they agreed to let her travel with them. It was much smaller than her companions’, it could fit just 2 people, but she had come to consider it her little sanctuary. Sometimes Noctis and Prompto had stayed in there with her playing Kings Knight as a way to avoid a scolding from Ignis and Gladiolus, only to end up fast asleep in there with her. Despite the awful nights sleep she would get when those nights happened, she felt a fondness for these men who had welcomed her so easily into their lives. Once she had finished hammering the last of the pegs into the ground, she walked over to the kitchen area and stood near her chopping board. Ignis had already laid out various ingredients for her to prepare, separated out into smaller piles.

“Chopped, minced, sliced; please and thank you” Ignis said, pointing to each pile. She nodded and began working immediately. ___ had become an official kitchen assistant to Ignis after she insisted in helping him cook and observing his methods after tasting his curry on their first night together. ___ also felt like this was her way of making it up to him for all the crap she did that he did not approve of. Ignis made polite conversation with her frequently, usually discussing an interesting fact about the recipe he was making or even sharing a story of how he obtained it. He was trying, she often thought to herself, and for that she was thankful. He hadn’t quite let his barrier down with her as the others had, but she understood that for some people it took longer. Though she had managed to keep her infatuation with him under control, sometimes she found herself reading into every little gesture he made. One evening he had gently placed a hand on the small of her back, guiding her to the stove as he asked her to stir the food; the contact of his hand on her back had sent shockwaves through her body. She had to use every ounce of her strength not to stumble.

After they had all finished the meal and cleaned up, thanked Ignis and ___ for the food, ___ went into her tent to rummage in her backpack. She emerged from her tent with two bottles of wine she picked up at the last rest stop. “Look what I have, boys!” She said with an excited look on her face.

“Oh no…that is not advisable” Ignis groaned.

“Come on, you all deserve to unwind a bit!”

“Noct, let’s not have a repeat of your eighteenth birthday shall we? I’d rather not spend the evening observing you vomit all over yourself again.”

“God dammit, Iggy, that was one time!”

As the night progressed everyone was feeling relaxed and blissful on the wine. Even Ignis had calmed when he realized Noctis wasn’t downing his drink as he had observed him doing in the past. They began exchanging stories of first crushes, first kisses and loves, first heartbreaks. No one was under any pressure to share a story they weren’t comfortable sharing, so it was mainly Gladio, Prompto and ___ talking.

“I gotta ask you something, ___. If I were you, let’s say, and I was in a group of women, I don’t know how I’d keep it in my pants. How are you coping?!” Gladio asked. ___ shifted in her seat a little, inhaling sharply indicating that it was a difficult subject to discuss.

“I’m not like YOU, Gladi-whore, you’d probably make a list or somethin’ if you were in my boots. You’d check them off one by one, hah!” ___ was highly amused at imagining Gladio with a checkboard and glasses, acting all business as he ticked off his victories as he slapped their asses when they entered the tent.

“What?! Where’d you get that idea from?” Gladio exclaimed.

“Wait, wait, wait….WAIT! ….wait” Prompto began, he pointed an accusatory finger at ___ and waited a few beats before saying “you’ve ranked us haven’t you?!”

“Pssh!” ___ replied. “Pssssssshhhhh…”

Suddenly she looked up to find all eyes were on her.

“….ok, maybe I have. SO WHAT?” Her words were met with sounds of disbelief and laughter. Gladio and Prompto were then in tangent yelling at her to share her list with the group.

“Alright!! Alright!! Jeez!!” Suddenly the camp grew eerily silent, Prompto and Gladio sitting on the edge of their chairs, Noctis glancing over with amusement on his face, Ignis couldn’t help but smirk slightly at the excitement in the camp at that moment.

“Last on my list…Noctis.” Everyone glanced at Noctis who merely shrugged and took another sip of wine. “I get strong ‘you’re like a brother to me’ type vibes from you, so I gotta put you in last” ___ explained, Noctis in response raised his glass as if toasting the thought.

“That’s fine by me.”

“Third on my list…Gladio”

“What the fuck?!” Gladio leapt off his seat before joining the others as they laughed at his sudden outburst.

“Si’down, si’down you big lummox. You’re just too OBVIOUS, ok? If you wore some more damn clothes you might have been higher up.”

“And hide these goods? No way.”

Prompto was suddenly leaning on the very edge of his chair, delighted he had made the list so high up, hope filling his heart that maybe he’d place number one on ___’s list.

“Number two….Prompto.”

“Oh maaan!” Prompto let out playfully knowing he’d lost the number one spot, but still giddy from the fact he’d reached so high.

“Don’t get too cocky, Blondie, I’ll demote you!”

“Which means number one is…” Gladio said looking at Ignis who was now staring absent mindedly into the fire. “Iggy is your number one?!”

“Well… yeah! Look at him!” ___ said.

“I’m looking.” Noctis said, smirking.

“He’s just…he’s just… he’s handsome as fuck ok?! Aw shit I’m gonna wake up regretting this in the morning.”

“Well there you have it, Iggy, you’re ‘handsome as fuck’, how does that make you feel?” Gladio said, patting him on the shoulder. Ignis took another sip of wine, which is when ___ could have sworn she saw a glimpse of a smile on his lips as he brought the glass up to them.

“…Well, it would be dishonest of me to admit that I am not flattered” was Ignis’ response.

“Woah-ho-hooo! Hold the phone, Ignis! When are you gonna ask her out on a date then?!” Gladio joked, shaking Ignis’ shoulder a little. Ignis pushed his friends hand off his shoulder.

“I’ll have no time for any sort of social life with how much assistance Noctis needs in his life.”

“Woah, don’t blame me for your lack of social life! Everyone else seems to do just fine!”

With that, Noctis and Ignis were in another one of their bickering matches. The rest of them groaned having heard it all before, the conversation officially moved on from ___’s little list. As she began to sober, she cringed at the thought of the information she just shared, but she couldn’t erase the image of what could have been Ignis’ smile as she revealed she found him the most desirable of the group. Making progress? She thought before wishing them goodnight and zipping her tent door closed.


	4. Weapons Training

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you would like to support me in writing this fic, I’d be seriously over the moon if you bought me a coffee on my ko-fi page: https://ko-fi.com/atarostarling  
> Please do not feel obligated!!

_Sounds of gunfire. People screaming as they die slowly from their wounds. Her people. Soldiers marching, performing their duty, their genocide. Everything she has ever known burning to the ground. “Run from here.” How could she leave him? “Run. Then avenge us. Remember us.” Why wasn’t he replying? Why were his eyes not focusing on hers? A guttural sob broke from her heart, her lungs felt like they were about to cave in. “Find her and kill her.” They were close. A kiss to his head, a heaving breath, she took flight. “Wake up.” Desperately she tried to leave this nightmare._

“Wake up, ___”

She was in the passenger seat of the Regalia, Ignis was driving, he was periodically looking over to her but his gaze favored watching the road.

“You were having a nightmare” Ignis stated.

Reality flooded her mind, connecting the dots, she shook off the nightmare as she stretched and yawned.

“Must have dozed off, my bad. How close are we?” ___ asked Ignis, who was the only one in the car with her. Mentally she kicked herself, this was the only time she had been alone with him and she had fallen asleep.

“About 15 minutes.”

The previous night the guys had continued to polish off the bottles of wine she had bought for them, which resulted in them depleting their own secret stock. Inevitably this morning they had woken a little fragile. Gladio, the usual morning captain, had refused to leave the tent before he could feast on Cup Noodles. The total number of Cup Noodles in their possession was zero, so Ignis had offered to drive to the closest store to purchase some. ___ had quickly volunteered to assist him, not wanting to deal with her hungover companions. What should have been a simple trip had turned into an expedition, since luck would have it that that first store they visited had sold out of Gladio’s hangover cure.

“You know we could always turn back, this is a lot of effort just for Cup Noodles. They aren’t even that good anyway.”

“Shh…Gladio might hear you. He’s got a strange affinity for those blasted cups. I do my best to just smile and nod when he gushes about them.”

___ couldn’t help but giggle profusely, she knew that Ignis was prone to delivering devastatingly witty remarks, but somehow because this one was meant just for her made it even more comical. Ignis smiled in amusement at her giggling and couldn’t help chuckle himself. It wasn’t often his humour went this appreciated.

“You’re a good friend, Ignis. There’s not many guys that would go to all this trouble to make their friends happy.”

“…Thank you.”

They drove in silence for a short while, ___ took a moment to glance over at him as he drove. His shirt sleeves were pushed up accentuating his toned forearms, he rested his left arm on the door as he gripped the steering wheel with his right. Her mind traveled to a reverie where she was sat on his lap, those arms firmly wrapped around her as they kissed, her hands running through his thick hair. She quickly ended her daydream and averted her gaze when he spoke.

“I’m curious as to why you were so adamant on assisting me in this task.”

___ shrugged. “I dunno. I like rides in the car, especially when I get to sit up front. Plus it gives us a chance to talk.”

“I see.”

“But then of course I ended up falling to sleep on you.”

“That’s quite alright.”

 _Gee, ___, you’re quite the conversationalist._ ___ thought to herself.  _Normal chit chat isn’t going to cut it with this man, he needs a topic that will challenge his intellect._

“Nice weather we’re having.” ___ said.

“Indeed.”

 _Alright, that was a bad start._ The silence was deafening in her ears. Usually she was a pro at making small talk, but somehow being alone with Ignis had drained her of all her charm.  _You got this, girl._

“So…do you like driving?”  _Oh my god, ___. Could you not be so boring?!_

“I suppose I do. I like to be in one who’s in control.”

“The ladies must love you.”  _Fuck._

“Excuse me?” Ignis said incredulously, one eyebrow raising.

“It’s nothing. I was joking.” She replied quickly.

“Ah.”

_Good job, ___._

The rest of the journey continued in silence. ___ rested her elbow on the door, placing her head in her hand as she watched the landscape pass by, officially giving up on trying to converse with Ignis. Noting her silence, he glanced over at her and began studying her profile. While most of the time she was animated, there were moments like this where she looked like another person. He could almost feel the weight she was carrying on her shoulders shifting into the drivers seat. He could never understand what brought on these masked moments, or perhaps her day to day self was the true mask? The mystery shrouding her made him uneasy, he didn’t like ambiguity after all. However, looking at her now he could not deny that she was an attractive woman. She inhaled deeply and released a lengthy sigh, he couldn’t help but allow his eyes to wander down to her chest as it heaved and relaxed. The way she tied her black blouse around her waist really did accentuate the shape of her breasts. It wasn’t often he allowed his gaze to linger like this, but she appeared to be completely oblivious to his indulgence. In his peripheral vision he saw movement on the road ahead and looked forward just in time to slam on the breaks to avoid hitting a heard of Spiracorn’s. ___ flew forward, reaching her hands in front of her to brace herself against the dashboard.

“My apologies.” Ignis said sheepishly.

___ let out a laugh in disbelief. “Woah, Ignis, it’s not like you to miss a creature crossing. What were you staring at?”

“Nothing” he replied suddenly, his eyes glancing over at ___ for a split second.

“Were you…were you staring at  _me_ , Scientia?” ___ asked with amusement.

“No, I was not staringat  _you_. I was simply lost in thought.”

“Uh huh…” ___ said trying her best not to let her grin fall off her cheeks.

“Anyway, we’re here. Let’s find these damn Cup Noodles and get back to camp.”

* * *

 

As the Regalia approached the camp, multiple bags of Cup Noodles now in their ownership, Ignis and ___ didn’t anticipate seeing the boys practicing their combat skills. They were using a large tree stub as a target, one of them had carved a mean looking face in it, perhaps to make them feel less guilty for targeting nature.

“I see you no longer need these, Gladio?” Ignis called over to them, raising the grocery bags. A feral look appeared on Gladiolus’ face as he raced over to Ignis who simply held the bag in front of him knowing Gladio would tear it out of his hands.

“I better heat up some water” Ignis said.

Prompto and Noctis were still having a good time practicing ways to not only deliver devastating blows to the tree, but which poses they should pull to look at their best. ___ approached slowly, applauding after Prompto slid between Noctis’ legs to shoot the stump.

“Bravo, gentlemen” ___ said as she clapped her hands. Prompto smiled broadly with pride. “Hey, Prom, can I have a go at shooting your gun?” She asked in earnest.

“Absolutely!”  Prompto enthusiastically bounced over to ___. “Allow me to show you how it’s done.” He placed the pistol in her hands before taking position behind her. “You’re gonna want to keep your feet hip distance apart, that’s it. Now put your right foot back, like you’re about to punch someone in the face since that’s what you’re all about.”

“Don’t you forget it, P.”

Prompto chuckled. “Alright, now grip it with your right hand and put your finger around the trigger, now keeping your left elbow bent a little you’re gonna support the grip with your left hand. You got it! Now…” Prompto stood close to ___’s back, reaching his hand to hold her right arm. He spoke softly in her ear. “Now you need to breathe in, aim by looking down the sight, then when you’re ready breathe out and gently pull the trigger.” She took a deep breath in, then Prompto’s left hand made its way to her waist. She gasped and fired the weapon. Prompto jumped back, startled at her abrupt methodology.

“That…was…AWESOME! Though don’t think I didn’t notice you making a pass, Argentum.”

“Well, I thought maybe I’d try to knock Ignis off his number 1 spot.” Prompto said with a wink.

___ laughed and turned back to fire some more rounds. Her calm and collected shots soon became erratic, her stance fell apart as she tried a variety of poses to fire the pistol. She was so caught up in the moment that when the bullets had run out she caught the tail end of a maniacal laugh coming from her mouth. She turned around to find all four men staring at her in horror.

“Oops.”

Prompto hesitantly crept up, using his forefinger and thumb he gently took the gun from her hand. “I’m just gonna…get this back here…thanks.”

Gladio gulped down the remains of his Cup Noodles, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and made his way over to their makeshift training arena. “Let’s see how you handle  _this.”_ He summoned his great sword. ___’s eyes lit up.

“Oh, hell yes!”

“This is gonna be good.” Noctis said as he joined Prompto’s side, who had whipped out his camera to take pictures.

“You ready, sweet heart?” Gladio asked ___.

“Gimme.” She replied.

Gladio held out his sword, adjusting his grip on the handle so she could get a good hold before letting go. She went down like a ton of bricks as soon as he let go.

“What the?! How do you lug this thing around?!”

“Did you think this body is just for show?”

“Clearly not!”

___ used her strength to haul the great sword up in front of her. Now confident with her grip on the sword, she used all her core strength to swing it above her head with the intention of bringing it down to the tree stump. When she had reached the apex of her swing, the weight of the sword tipped her body backwards and she found herself falling. The guys couldn’t contain their hysterical laughter.

When Noctis had recovered from his laughing, he approached ___ to help her up, who was now laughing in disbelief on the ground, great sword still in her hands. She took his hand as he pulled her up. “Alright, alright. Let’s give you something a little lighter.” He summoned the sword King Regis had gifted him with.  The smile immediately faded from her lips. Her expression took a sharp turn for the serious.

“I can’t hold that, your father gave you that sword.”

“So? It’s just a sword. You can practice with it.” Noctis replied, confused.

“No, I cannot.”

Ignis glanced over from organizing the camp, noticing the sudden change in tone. He frowned and began to walk towards Gladiolus and Prompto to join them in observing the exchange between Noctis and ___.

“Why not?”

“Call it…superstition. I can’t touch your sword, I’m sorry. Thank you, though.” __ replied, softening her features after realizing that she was causing a scene.

“Hmph. Suit yourself, then.” Noctis huffed, though concern lit his eyes. ___ smiled warmly at him.

“Call it a cultural difference. Where I’m from a father and child’s bond is sacred. He gifted you this sword, therefore it was not meant for anyone but you to hold.”

Everyone seemed to begin to understand her reaction with this explanation, though Ignis’ frown deepened. They still didn’t know exactly where she was from, what type of small town would hold such regal traditions?

“Hey Noct, give her your daggers, that should cause a laugh or two.” Gladio suggested.

“Oh?” ___ asked, her eyebrows raised in mild offense.

Ignis spoke. “Daggers require precision, skill, lightning fast reflexes and incredible strength to cause serious damage.” As he spoke, Noctis had handed ___ his daggers, who then observed the daggers sternly as he spoke.  “The handler has to analyze weaknesses before striking critical areas of the enemy before they have a chance to strike you first.”

“Interesting.” ___ said. She nodded as if absorbing the information for the first time, before twisting her body around and flinging both daggers one after the other towards the tree stump. They pierced the wood deeply, both landed between the eyes of the carved face. She turned smirking at the men who were stood in disbelief at her show of proficiency. “You could say I’ve dabbled in the handling of daggers.” She gloated.

“Why didn’t you tell us you were this good with daggers?!” Gladio broke their silence first.

“You never asked!” ___ replied with a cheeky smile. “Besides, I’m subpar with daggers, my main weapon of choice is a polearm.”

Noctis summoned his javelin and threw it to ___. She caught it in one hand and twirled it expertly in a circle above her head before bringing it down in front of her, pointing it towards the Prince. He smiled and called forth his sword. “You wanna rumble, ___?” He asked.

She lowered her voice and said huskily “I’m not sure you could handle this.”

“Oh I can handle it.”

“No warping.”

“Obviously.”

They stood facing each other, eyes burning into each other as their adrenaline rose to meet the challenge of a fight. Gladio, Prompto and Ignis looked between the two of them wondering who will strike first.

“My money is on our boy Noct.” Gladio said to the rest of the audience. “I’m the one who trained him after all.”

“I…I gotta feeling __ might take this one.” Prompto said staring at the intense stare she was giving Noctis.

It was Noctis who struck first. He took flight and swung his sword. ___ sprung to life, planted the javelin into the ground and leapt over his head. Noctis spun around, eyes wide at seeing her gymnastic abilities for the first time, before going in for another strike. She held the pole with two hands, swinging both ends of the javelin to meet each slash of his sword. As Noctis reeled back to attack she spun the javelin around her with immense speed to gain momentum before deflecting the blade from touching her. She began thrusting the point of the javelin at Noctis ferociously, who had to contort his body constantly to avoid the deadly point. He ducked and swung his sword low to try and catch her legs, but she sprung back into a back flip. She ran towards him, planted the javelin into the ground and held onto the pole as she performed a series of kicks to take him off guard. He blocked the first kick with the flat of his sword, but her second kick made contact with his face startling him. She landed and immediately bounced into the air to swing her weapon over her head to take advantage of his dazed state. Gladio inhaled sharply as Noctis only just dodged her attack. Prompto cheered her on.

“I think I’m about warmed up now. Are you?” ___ asked Noct, who was breathing heavily.

“Definitely.”

Her technique was mesmerizing. Whereas Noctis attacked with force, she almost looked like she was performing a choreographed dance. Each strike was followed with a flourish of the polearm, she seemed to be attached to invisible wires as she soared through the air, spinning her body around effortlessly as she fought. It was as if this style of fighting was as simple as breathing, but Ignis knew the dedication that it took to reach his level, however she was in a league of her own. He found himself beginning to admire this girl who had once seemed so aloof and directionless.

“Iggy…you are totally checking ___ out right now.” Gladio observed.

___’s breath hitched, she glanced over to Ignis who was looking at Gladio with annoyance. The next thing she knew she was on the floor, Noctis’ sword inches from her throat.

“OH, COME ON!” Prompto yelled as Gladio cheered and applauded his protégé.

Noctis stood and helped ___ to her feet. “That…was one hell of a fight.” ___ laughed in agreement, but felt quite sheepish at letting herself get caught off guard. She was better than that. She looked over to their audience, who begin applauding her efforts nonetheless.

“___, you’re unbelievable! Though I’m pissed we’ve been putting you on the sidelines all this time.” Gladio beamed at her.

“That was… quite extraordinary, ___. Perhaps you and I could spar sometime.” Ignis said. Suddenly she didn’t feel so foolish.

“It’s a date.” She replied.  _Nailed it._

He shook his head and turned, Prompto’s eyes lit up as he ran in front of Ignis and took a picture of him. Prompto dashed over to ___ and showed her the image he had just taken. She tried to contain her gasp as she saw Ignis’ coy smile on the preview screen.

[End of Part IV]


	5. Ebony Coffee

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you would like to support me in writing this fic, I’d be seriously over the moon if you bought me a coffee on my ko-fi page: https://ko-fi.com/atarostarling  
> Please do not feel obligated!!

“Hey Noct…wanna help me out with something?” ___ said as she touched his shoulder and sat in the chair next to him.

“Umm, depends what that is.” Noctis said. He was busy tapping away on his phone playing King’s Knight. ___ snatched the phone out of his hand and just as Noctis was about to reach over and reclaim it she dropped it down her top. He looked at her chest quizzically.

“Do you really think you have the guts to go in there?” She said with a smirk.

“Hmm…” He reached out hesitantly, flicked his eyes up to meet her gaze, before slumping back in his chair in defeat. “Whaddya want?”

“I want to get Ignis a gift.”

“What? Why?”

“Well, I feel like there’s this big divide between us. I thought a gift might help bridge that gap.” ___ said with a smile, her cheeks blushing slightly as she glanced over to where Ignis was helping Gladio train in the distance. Prompto was buzzing around them taking pictures, but they didn’t seem to mind, Gladio seemed to perform better with the paparazzi around.

“Interesting theory.” Noctis mused.

“Hear me out. I met this guy behind the gas station at our last pit stop.”

Noctis’ head tilted to one side and he raised his eyebrows. “Do I really want to know what happens next?”

“Oh shush, it’s nothing weird. Anyway. He said that he knew the location of the exact same coffee beans they use to make Ebony coffee! Ignis is always drinking that canned stuff, but with the beans he could make the best cup of coffee ever.”

“Alright. I have to admit that is a good gift for Specs.”

“I know right?!” ___ said as she tapped his arm with the back of her hand in excitement. “This guy drew me up this map to show me where it is. Apparently the truck that was making the delivery lost control and no one ended up claiming the beans.”

“I gotta ask. Why did this fine, upstanding gentlemen tell you all this?”

“Because! He was a nice guy.” ___ said, clearly lying.

“Uh huh.”

“Yuh huh.”

“What did you do, ___?” Noctis asked, giving her his best disapproving look. He was definitely channeling his inner-Ignis.

“…That’s none of your business.” ___ said defensively. Noctis stared at her in silence, his eyebrows seemed to raise even higher.

“Alright, I flashed him my boobs. But I had my bra on so it wasn’t so bad. Don’t tell  _anyone._ ” __ admitted.

“Don’t tell anyone what now?” Prompto asked as he jumped between the two suddenly. ___ gasped at his unexpected appearance.

“That ___ flashed some creepy guy behind a gas station for a treasure map.” Noctis said nonchalantly.

“DAMMIT, NOCT!” ___ yelled. She immediately looked around to see if Ignis and Gladio overheard her in the distance, but she was in the clear.

“What the?! I have so many questions!” Prompto said.

“Shh! Keep it down, this is a super secret mission you guys. Do you wanna come too, Prom?” ___ said.

“Who did you show your love cushions to?” Prompto asked. Noctis tried his best to suppress his laughter, but failed. ___ stared at him, mouth agape, but she couldn’t help but smile at the situation she had found herself in.

“I ask you to come on a super secret mission and that’s your first question??” ___ said in disbelief.

“Come on, it’s a given I’m gonna come along for this super secret mission. But I got to know all the details from the very start!”

___ sighed. “Fine.” She reached down her shirt and gave Noctis his phone back. He took it back and continued to play his game as if nothing had happened. Prompto’s jaw dropped as ___ began to talk “So I was thinking of getting Ig…”

“What the hell was that just now?!”

“How much longer do we have to walk? My feet are killing me.” Noctis as usual was the first to complain, but ___ and Prompto were thinking the same. The mystery map had failed to mention the giant hill that they needed to climb to get to the Ebony coffee beans.

“We’re almost there, I promise.” ___ reassured him.

“If only we had a Chocobo…” Prompto said longingly.

They finally reached the crest of the hill; ahead of them they could see a road that raised from the ground into a bridge that ascended over the river North of where they stood. To the left of where the bridge began its journey over the water was the tall, ugly walls of a military base that belonged to the Niflheim Empire. ___’s chest tightened.

“Wait, this can’t be right.” ___ said and she fumbled with the map. Noctis and Prompto hung over each of her shoulders to confirm the location.

“This is the place, alright.” Noctis said.

“We can’t go near there, surely? They’ll see us.” ___ said, panicked.

Prompto pointed a finger to the map. “No, look here, the truck is just on the outside of the walls and next to the bridge. If we’re quick about it they shouldn’t notice us!”

“This is a bad idea guys, we should head back.” ___ said, fidgeting.

“What’s your problem? They can’t just attack us for no reason, ___.” Noctis said, trying to reassure her. “Let’s do this. It was your idea after all, we’re not going back empty handed after that mountain we just climbed.”

___ looked around her, she couldn’t see any soldiers this side of the wall, so she began to feel more at ease, especially in their company. “Ok…”

The three of them approached cautiously, using the scattered shrubbery between where they came from and their destination as cover. As they got closer to the imposing walls Prompto spotted their treasure. “There! I see the truck.” The truck was uncomfortably close to a number of Magitek Armor machines; they were curled up like robotic animals, sleeping soundly.

“Guys that’s a bit too close to those Magitek isn’t it? We should bail.” ___ said, backing away from their vantage point behind the shrubbery.

“Relax would you? They’re not alive, it’s not like we can wake them up.” Noctis said. He confidently walked over to the truck. Observing the wreckage it was clear what had happened, the front left tire had burst causing the truck to veer off the road, breaking through the railings before crashing into the ground below. Noctis walked to the back of the truck and was trying to pry open the doors.

“Hmm…the latch has warped because of the crash, I’m going to have to remove the handle.”

“Wait a second,” ___ said, but he ignored her hesitation and called upon his sword. With one strike the handle had broken off and the doors were open. She cringed at the loud noise it made, then looked around her to see if the Magitek had woke from their slumber. When they remained silent, she headed over to the back of the truck.

“Alright, Noct!” Prompto said slapping him on the back. Inside the truck were a number of sacks, the smell of coffee overwhelmed them as they peered inside.

“Ok, cool. Did you guys bring anything to carry these with?” ___ inquired.

Noctis and Prompto looked at each other before looking at ___ guiltily.

“Seriously you guys?! I guess I can only manage to take one back with me then…” ___ shoved one of the small sacks into her empty backpack. “Now let’s get the hell out of here.”

As they walked around the truck, Prompto looked over to where the Magitek were laying. “Hey Noct, why don’t you go over there and pose with one of ‘em? It’ll be a pretty cool picture don’t you think?”

“That’s  _not_  a good idea, Prompto.” __ said sternly.

“I’m game.” Noctis said, he began to trot over to where the Magitek suits lay and placed a foot on one of them as if he had just defeated it in battle.

“Am I freakin’ invisible or something?” ___ said keeping her distance. Prompto excitedly took a number of pictures.

“Alright, now kick one!”

Noctis laughed and did as his photographer instructed.

To ___’s horror, the Magitek roared into life. The sound of its gears churning and the systems booting up screamed inside her chest as it unfolded and towered above where Noctis and Prompto stood.

“Uh oh!” Prompto yelled. The head of the machine rotated towards them, electronic chirping noises sounded in ___’s ears as she realised it was probably scanning them.

“TARGET DETECTED.”

“ _WHAT DID IT JUST SAY?!_ ” ___ screamed at them. She had wanted to run the moment she saw the base, now she found herself staring down the barrel of the worst case scenario.

“We better get out of here!” Noctis said as he grabbed Prompto by the arm and ran towards ___, who finally managed to lift her feet and began running in the direction from whence they came. The Magitek trailed them, it’s mechanical feet seemed to shake the ground upon contact. When the vibrations stopped, Noctis looked over his shoulder to see a glowing red light emitting from what would be its hand, then from it came a number of missiles.

“Oh shit, LOOK OUT!!” Noctis yelled. The Prince was able to use his Lucian abilities to dodge the attacks, but the missiles exploded close behind Prompto and ___, which caused them to fly through the air and collide harshly with the ground.

“Shit!” Noctis cursed. He turned to see the Magitek was approaching them, then looked to where his friends lay coughing and writhing on the ground. When the Magitek came into range, he saw the tell tale sign that it was about to deploy more missiles, it’s hand outstretched and that familiar red glow appeared. Noctis summoned a lightning orb into his hands and ran towards the mechanical beast, he hurled the orb into its open hand and electricity exploded through its circuits. It shuddered violently as each limb began to collapse to the ground. When it ceased moving, Noctis sighed with relief and turned to jog towards where Prompto and ___ were starting to rise to their feet, until the Magitek suddenly exploded causing Noctis to fall violently. Prompto and ___ covered their face when they saw the blast, but when the Magitek was nothing more than a burning corpse they found Noctis coughing and spluttering into the ground.

The commotion had caused the base to awaken. The gates churned open and a squadron of soldiers began marching out. ___ froze in fear as Prompto dashed to aid Noctis, who was still dizzy from the aftermath of the Magitek explosion. By the time Noctis and Prompto hobbled over to ___, it was too late. A wall of soldiers had formed behind them, guns raised.

“What do we do now?” Prompto whimpered under his breath.

“Your Highness, Noctis Lucis Caelum. Long has it been.” A voice sounded through the air. Noctis’ fists tightened. The soldiers parted and Ravus Nox Fleuret strode towards them. ___ quickly averted her eyes and stared at the ground, as if no longer casting her eyes on the situation that had unfolded before her meant it no longer existed.

“Ravus…” Noctis uttered.

“I see you have caused quite some destruction to my base, would you care explain the meaning of your intrusion?”

“I don’t have to explain anything to you, Ravus.” Noctis spat.

“On the contrary, Caelum. I could interpret your actions here as an act of war.”

“You’d love that wouldn’t you? Another reason to convince yourself that being a dog for the Empire is justified.”

“Do not test me,  _Prince._ Or should I grovel at your feet and call you “ _The Chosen King_ ”? Observe how my soldiers stand to attention at my command. With just a gesture I could have them fill you with a thousand bullets.” Ravus raised his fist and the soldiers behind them all cocked their guns. Prompto stumbled back, bumping ___ to the ground. Ravus lips curled into a slight smirk. “Look at the loyalty you command. Your subjects cower in my presence. If you cannot even inspire bravery from those closest to you how are you to lead a nation?” Ravus began to make his way over to Prompto and ___. “Move an inch and I will tell them to shoot.” He said, predicting Noctis’ actions as he shifted his weight in agitation over his helplessness. “Who do we have here?” Planting a steel hand on Prompto’s face, Ravus shoved him to the side so that ___ was completely exposed to him. She brought her knees to her chest and buried her face, making herself as tiny as she possibly could. “Rise, you pitiful thing.” She trembled at the sound of his voice, but made no movement to do as he commanded. “ _I said RISE!”_ He reached forward to grab a fistful of her hair, but his arm was caught by one inked with eagle feathers. Gladiolus stood before Ravus, holding onto the armored appendage as he stared at him with ferocity. The wall of soldiers sprang into action as they marched in unison to surround them. Gladio nervously glanced at them, Ravus calmly said “Now would be the time to release me, Amicitia”

A gloved hand pulled firmly at ___’s arm, forcing her to stand. It was Ignis, who placed her into position so she was stood behind him, she felt a wave of security sweep her body that stopped her from trembling so violently.

“Well now, look at this little gathering that has appeared before my very eyes!” All of them turned to the source of an unfamiliar voice. A tall man with unruly plum coloured hair swaggered towards them, the soldiers parted and closed like a door as he entered the conflict. He was adorned in unusual monochrome clothing, bar the flourish of red and orange in the scarf wrapped around his white pleated collar.  

“Ardyn…” Ravus hissed.

“I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure of meeting yet, have we Your Highness?” Ardyn said as he bowed low before Noctis. “The name is Ardyn Izunia.”

“Chancellor Izunia, what business do you have here?” Ravus said, clearly agitated by Ardyn’s presence.

“I was just travelling through, dear Ravus. I happened to be witness to these young men and their antics on the outskirts of your base. They were having a lot of fun taking photographs when one of our pesky Magitek’s seemed to activate by accident. Isn’t that right, Your Highness?” He turned to smile at Noctis, though he sensed this man had not felt the warmth behind a smile in a very long time.

“Yeah…exactly.” Noctis reluctantly agreed.

“Precisely! Now, Ravus. This show of our might is all a little brash don’t you think? Let these young ones be on their merry way.”

Ravus glared at Ardyn with intense venom, then let Noctis be at the receiving end of his poisonous gaze, before storming back towards the base. The soldiers lowered their weapons and followed their commander.

“I do apologise for his sour behavior. I had best go after him and make sure he doesn’t break anything in a temper tantrum. I sense our paths will cross in the future. I bid you all farewell.” Ardyn bowed once more and glanced at all of them in turn, saving __ for last. His stare lingered on her a while longer, his smile faded and a slight sneer graced his unkempt face, before he turned on his heels with flourish and walked after Ravus. They stood in silence until the giant doors of the base sealed shut, then they relaxed their bodies in unison. ___ had to gather all her strength to stay on her legs.

“Are you all ok?” Gladio asked as they began to regroup in a circle.

“Yeah…I’m fine.” Noctis said flatly. Prompto and ___ merely nodded in agreement.

“Then who wants to tell me what in the  _Six_  are you doing outside a fucking military base?!”

___ looked up at Noctis, panic written all over her face. He knew the meaning behind her look…if they would have told the truth that this was ___’s idea Ignis would never be civil with her again. “We were looking for a fishing spot that I heard about, we got lost and stumbled on this base. I dunno, I just wanted a closer look, then one of those Magitek things came to life and tried to kill us for no reason.”

Ignis stared at ___, she could only meet his pale green eyes for a second. She played with her blouse nervously. Gladio brought his palm to his forehead, massaging the headache he was receiving from this situation. He sighed.

“Come on guys, let’s just go back to camp.”

* * *

Back at camp ___ didn’t move from her chair all evening. She didn’t even have the courage to help Ignis with the cooking as she usually did and he didn’t call her for assistance. The boys educated Prompto about Ravus, who was shocked to learn he was Lunafreya’s elder brother. The main source of conversation was Ardyn Izunia, where he came from and why he had helped them. ___ couldn’t forget the sneer she had received from him, it replayed over in her mind. As the men began to trickle into their tent to sleep she remained by the fire, staring into the embers. It was only the sound of the tent flap unzipping that broke her from her thoughts, which is when she realised she had been sat out there most of the night. The figure emerged from the tent, then turned to zip the door back. It was Ignis, dressed in grey sweat pants and a form fitting white undershirt.  

“Still awake I see.” Ignis said, standing next to where ___  sat, who was now gazing up at the remaining stars in the sky.

“Yeah. What are you doing up?” __ asked him.

“I’ve not slept. I’ve been processing the events that unfolded today.”

“Oh…is everything ok?” He wasn’t sitting down next to her, he remained stood looking down on her.

“No. Far from it, actually.”

She remained silent. Ignis sighed, he massaged the bridge of his nose before continuing.

“Whose idea was it to go to the base today?”

___ looked to the floor. She knew that she couldn’t fool this man, though she wished just this once that he wasn’t so perceptive. “…It was mine, but Ignis, I…”

“Do you have any idea the danger you put Noctis in today, even worse, Insomnia?” He snapped, arms now folded.

“…What are you talking about?”

“The relationship between Niflheim and Insomnia is fragile at best. Noctis being seen gallivanting around a Niflheim base could be seen as an act of treason. Who’s to say Ravus will not report this to Aldercaptand it’ll affect the peace negotiations that are to take place any day now?”

__ tried to reason with him.  “Ignis…come on, now…just let me explain.”

“You spend your time around us distracting Noctis, it’s as if you don’t want us to board that boat to Altissia.”

“Hey, that’s enough.” ___ stood up. She was sick of feeling fearful, she had spent too many hours feeling pitiful and weak. This was not how she was raised. “Do you ever stop to think that perhaps I’m picking up on Noct’s emotions?” Ignis shook his head, but ___ continued. “He’s so young, Ignis, and you want to ship him off to a marriage he had no say in. Maybe he just wants to enjoy being free for once in his entire life. Do you have any idea the weight he carries on his shoulders? If you could just stop thinking about your royal duty for one second you might just let him live his life away from the pressure he’s been born into.”

“You cannot comprehend his situation, nor do you have a right to dictate how he live his life.” Snapped Ignis.

“Oh, but you do, is that it?”

“I have been trained from birth to advise him. I have known him my entire life. I believe I know what’s in his best interest over some  _girl_ we just met.”

___ scoffed in disbelief. She approached Ignis, standing close to him, her eyes burned into his. She had never stood this close to him before, the anger was making her bold for better or for worse. “Is that what you see me as? Some  _girl_?” He hesitated. As he looked at her frowning up at him he felt an unfamiliar sensation of something tighten within his chest. He was unsure how to process this new physical reaction.  ___ thought she saw his expression soften for a moment, but his emerald eyes hardened once more as they pierced her.

“Tell me, ___. Who are you?”

“What kind of a question is that?”

Ignis unfolded his arms. “You appear in our lives at random telling us you came from a small town. You said you were on a pilgrimage, that you would be with us temporarily as you conducted research to aid your journey. However, I have not seen you once perform any type of research that even suggests you’re planning on travelling independently.”

___ remained glued to her spot staring up at him, her breathing began to quicken ever so slightly he noticed. Ignis continued.

“You laugh and joke with us, yet there are moments where I see your expression change as if you are a different person. Is that a glimpse of your true self I’ve witnessed, while you falsely charm everyone else?”

“Ignis, this is ridiculous.”

“Is it, ___? You constantly try and persuade Noctis to go to various locations around Eos, you encourage him to drink as if you’re trying to slow him down, you even lead him to a military base today. Also, I cannot dismiss the fact that you have clearly had military grade combat training that you failed to inform us about. A typical civilian from a  _small town_ would not raise to such proficiency unless it was their duty to utilize these skills. Let’s not forget the incident where you refused to hold King Regis’ sword. Pray tell, what sort of  _small town_  that I’ve ‘ _never heard of’_  would have this tradition?” Ignis was pacing around her as he spoke, though he never took his eyes off her. Angry tears were now forming in ___’s eyes, though she was trying her best to keep them at bay. “Unless that is of course you’re not from a small town.” He approached her menacingly and stood in front of her so he was looking down on her. His broad chest seemed to eclipse everything in her peripheral vision. “You work for the Empire, don’t you?”

Her head snapped up to look at him.

“… _What did you just say to me?”_ The fury in ___’s voice startled Ignis, but he did not back down. He needed the truth.

“You are not who you say you are. You are hiding something from us. If I am to allow you to continue travelling with us I need to know the truth.”

“You…you actually think I’m some sort of  _spy_? For those bastard  _Nif’s_?!” She spat out the last word as if uttering it conjured dirt in her mouth. He said nothing. A defiant tear streaked down her face, but she didn’t move to wipe it away. “I see.” Her heart was pounding so loudly she felt it in her ears. She could not have imagined the day ending like this. “Well. You will not have to make the call of whether or not I can travel with you. I cannot stay knowing I am no longer wanted.” She moved past him, knocking him with her shoulder as she went by. He watched her as she removed her belongings from her tent, shoving them furiously into her backpack. He said nothing as she dismantled her tent, but as each peg was removed from the ground doubt began racing through his mind. Could he have been wrong? When her small patch of land was cleared and she had hauled her pack onto her shoulders, she turned to him, the tears now falling from her eyes freely, her lips quivering. Her mouth opened as if to speak, but she could not find her voice. She closed her mouth in frustration, then tossed a small sack between them before walking away from the campsite. The sun was now rising so Ignis could see her figure get smaller as she faded into the horizon. He felt an emptiness that he had never experienced before, a guilty wave washed over him as he realised he would have to explain to his companions why ___ was gone when they woke up. Ignis couldn’t move from the spot where she had left him, the tugging sensation in his chest intensifying.

* * *

Naturally Gladiolus was the first to arise. Ignis was stood looking into the distance where ___’s tent should have been pitched.

“What the…where’s ___?” Gladio asked, his voice hoarse from the nights sleep.

“She’s gone.”

“What do you mean, she’s gone? Where did she go?”

“She left us. I…” Ignis’s voice broke, he coughed to disguise the flaw in his speech. “I told her that I had suspicions that perhaps she worked for the Empire after yesterdays event. She didn’t take too kindly to the accusation and left.”

Gladio couldn’t find the words to eloquently describe his reaction this early in the morning. “What the fuck, Ignis…”

“I know, Gladio.” He responded gruffly. Gladio stood to attention, he was not used to seeing the Strategist lose his composure.

Prompto now appeared out of the tent. He looked at where ___’s tent should have been. “Woah, did ___ pack up already?! She’s never the early bird.” The tension between Gladio and Ignis was the biggest indication that something had happened to her. “Guys…where is ___?”

“Ignis thought it would be a great idea to accuse her of being a damn spy for the fuckin’ Nif’s.” Gladio growled. Ignis stared at the ground in defeat, but turned around to defend himself.

“I merely pieced together the information she gave to us. Her background was suspicious, she never once told us where she was from, I still think she was lying to us about who she really is.”  

“Yeah, Ignis, no shit. We’ve all got our own baggage. Did you honestly get the sense that she was here to hurt Noctis?”

“After yesterdays events I wasn’t entirely sure.”

Noctis emerged from the tent, the others stared at him for his reaction. He had been listening long enough to know what happened. His eyes glanced at the ground where the coffee beans were.  “You wanna know why we were there? Look in that bag.” He pointed to the sack that __ had dropped before she left. Ignis had been so stunned by her sudden departure he forgot to look inside. He turned and opened up the sack, the smell of his favourite coffee filling his nostrils as he looked upon hundreds of beans.

“Ebony…”

“That’s right, genius. She wanted to get you that as a gift. She said that she felt as if you didn’t like her and this was to be her peace offering. When she saw it was right near a military based she almost ran out of her skin in fear in the opposite direction.” Noctis’ voice raised with each word as his anger brewed.

“…It’s true, Ignis. She looked terrified when she saw the base. She wanted us to leave. We…insisted.” Prompto quietly said. Gladio “tsked” and shook his head.

Ignis thought back to their time together, of her so diligently helping him cook every night. The way she looked at him when he explained his methods in the kitchen. The sound of her laughter during their journey for Cup Noodles. The way her eyes lit up whenever she was playfully bantering with everyone. How she had so easily integrated into life with his friends in a way that he simply could not comprehend, so he immediately jumped to being suspicious of her. Did he really think she was a spy, or was he just envious of how quickly she had earned their trust?

“I have made a grave error in judgement.” Ignis said, still bent over ___’s gift.

[End of Part V]


	6. Insomnia Falls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is NSFW!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you would like to support me in writing this fic, I’d be seriously over the moon if you bought me a coffee on my ko-fi page: https://ko-fi.com/atarostarling  
> Please do not feel obligated!!

Time stood still for a few days at the camp site, which they dared not leave for fear that ___ would have a change of heart and return. Whenever any of them saw movement in the distance they looked up expectantly hoping to see her walking towards them. At the end of the third day, with heavy hearts they decided that it would be for the best to move on. Ignis noticed Noctis writing a note and pinning it to a tree nearby, but he couldn’t muster the strength to read it assuming it was for ___. Prompto tried his best to liven the mood as if he was unaffected by ___’s departure, but Ignis observed the way he looked solemnly over to where her tent should have been every morning since she departed. Noctis seemed to withdraw further into his shell, he showed no interest in taking any initiative to continuing their journey. In the end Gladiolus had twisted his arm and convinced him it was time to board the boat to Altissia and “get this show on the road.” The atmosphere was silent and sullen as they made their way to Galdin Quay.

Despite the price of the accommodation at Galdin Quay being excessive, Ignis had paid for the suite for them to stay the night before their journey across the ocean. He knew that Noctis would never forgive him for driving away his friend, all of their exchanges had ended up with Noctis losing his temper at him, but Ignis thought a night inside luxury accommodation might help ease some of the stress he had been through. The morning they were to depart Ignis left the suite to get a cup of Ebony in the café. He set his coffee down on a table and made his way to a rack of newspapers to peruse as he waited for the brew to cool. The bold text on all the headlines were worded differently but still read the same – **Insomnia Falls.** He picked up the newspaper of his preferred publisher, it felt like a brick in his hands, then skimmed the text to learn about the destruction of his home. He didn’t know how long he had stood there, hands shaking as he tried to read the words that ended up scrambling together in a blur of panic, but his coffee was ice cold when he went back to the table. He sat down, leaned over his knees and brought up his trembling hands to rest his head in. He fought back tears contemplating that countless people he knew were probably dead, as well as King Regis, due to the betrayal that Niflheim had brought. Suddenly the world around him that felt so open with possibilities felt hostile.

He knew he would have to be the one to deliver the news to the others. A small, selfish part of himself wanted to pretend he never saw the headlines after what he did to ___. However, before he could convince himself not to, he found his dutiful feet walking to their room and turning the door handle. His eyes found Noctis’ immediately. Ignis wanted to convey his sincerest condolences, he wanted to yell and cry with Noctis, but his years of training allowed him to keep his composure.

“What’s that look for?” Noctis asked abruptly.

“It’s in all the papers.” Was all he could muster.

* * *

A heavier burden was now placed on Noctis’ shoulders: reclaim the throne. Retrieving the Royal Arms was no simple task, but Ignis always had faith in the Prince. Although the sadness of ___’s exodus lingered still; whether it be during a battle where she would usually assist their curative needs, or at night where they each had their own rituals with her, they had begun to slip back into a sense of normalcy now they had to focus on this immense new quest.

One evening they had found themselves camping once more in the wilderness, they sat around the fire eating when Prompto sighed heavily.

“What’s up, Prompto?” Gladio asked.

“Oh…it’s nothing.”

“Out with it.”

Prompto looked into the fire. “I just wonder what happened to ___, you know? I just hope she’s okay.” Ignis felt his chest constrict, this once alien sensation had become a frequent occurrence when ___ was mentioned.

“I’m sure she’s fine. She could take care of herself. Remember when we first met her?”

Prompto chuckled. “Yeah, she sure scared the crap out of us!”

Gladiolus laughed, but Ignis noticed the concern that crept on his face when the laughter faded.

* * *

Later in the evening when they were trying to fall asleep, Ignis began his nightly ritual: every single night since ___ left he replayed their final exchange in his mind. He had tried his best in the first few weeks to shake the image of her trembling lips and the tears streaming from her eyes, but lately he had accepted that this was his new routine. Depending the night certain details would stand out to him, such as the way she had looked so small when he emerged from the tent to find her gazing into the fire. At the time her melancholy behavior had annoyed him because he had believed it to be an act; he wanted to break down her façade and find the truth. Another detail that replayed was the moment she had stood up to defend herself, striding over to him without fear, showing him a blaze of her courage and strength. Continuously she had surprised him; she would birth a new power from the ashes of her weaknesses.

_“I have been trained from birth to advise him. I have known him my entire life. I believe I know what’s in his best interest over some **girl**  we just met.”_

The words he had blurted out made him cringe now. This particular night, the moment that his subconscious decided to replay over and over again was when she had stood so close to him he could feel her warmth. Her proximity made his heart heave in his chest. He thought it was the adrenaline of the confrontation, but when she walked away he knew he was mistaken. All the feelings he had repressed since she arrived broke free in that moment she glared at him. Now he couldn’t rid her presence from his mind.

_“Is that what you see me as? Some **girl**?”_

He never did answer her. He had changed the subject. He left a thread loose in their conflict and now it tickled his mind. He began to drift into a sleep.

_“Is that what you see me as? Some **girl**?”_

He pulled his glasses from his face and threw them to the ground carelessly.

_“No.”_

Reaching forward, he gripped ___’s waist with his bare hands and pulled her against his body. The anger in her face turned to confusion, he could feel her breasts against his chest and her heart racing, his groin pulsed in anticipation. The look on her face told him her thoughts: was this some sort of intense diversion tactic? Then she met his eyes; she saw the desire burning within them. He moved his right hand to the back of her head and pulled it towards his face, kissing her as if this would be the last kiss he would ever experience. Her hands hung in the air around his body uncertain of where they should be placed. When the realization of what was happening struck her, ___’s arms wrapped around him as she returned the desperation in his kiss. Her hands traveled over his muscular back, up and down his strong arms, her fingers found their way through his hair. Whereas she couldn’t keep her arms still for long, he kept his embrace of her tight so she had nowhere to go, he refused to let go of her. Their tongues danced behind their colliding lips, the intensity of their kiss caused them to break away from each other only by an inch to catch their breath when their lungs ached before crashing into one another again.

His erection had begun to push itself into her body, reaching out to be inside of her. He pulled away from her, watching as her eyes remained closed momentarily as the bliss of their first kiss washed over her. He placed her arms so they were wrapped around his neck, then reached his hands down to the back of her thighs and lifted her with ease. Ignis carried ___ to the table that they spent so many hours preparing food on. He sat her down on the edge of the table as she began tugging at his white undershirt impatiently, wanting to see the body that was hidden beneath it. He quickly yanked the material over his head and she began kissing and sucking his neck and chest with fervor. He recalled of the times he had caught her staring at him with lust in her eyes. Despite his suspicions of her he was still a man – he couldn’t help but stand a little taller, tense his muscles the best he could when he knew she was watching him. He smirked through his pleasure knowing that this is what ___ had wanted to do all along. As her hands and mouth explored his toned, athletic body he closed his eyes to let the sensation of her travelling lips take over his senses. When he could no longer take it, he looked back down at her, took a small step back and tore open her half buttoned up blouse; the buttons flew in different directions. She excitedly pulled off the vest she was wearing underneath, while Ignis was already working on removing her loose trousers along with her panties impatiently. Satisfied with her current state of undress, he pulled out his bulging cock from his sweatpants. ___ bit her lip as she looked at it, then glanced up at him with seductive eyes that begged him to be inside of her.

He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her so softly, the tenderness vastly contradicting the force he displayed earlier. ___ reached her hands down to his rock hard penis and gripped it softly at first, then increased the pressure and her movements around it while he moaned against her lips.  “ _Am I still just a girl to you now?”_  ___  said into his mouth as she guided him to her dripping folds, her arousal pooling on the tables edge. “ _No…you’re an enchantress.”_ He groaned softly into her mouth as he felt her lubricate him with her wet excitement. She shifted back onto the table and fell back onto her forearms, spreading her legs wide, her feet rested on the edge of the table and she tilted her hips. When she was ready he entered her. Ignis watched ___ as her mouth dropped open, her eyes fluttered shut and she gasped as he slowly moved his length so that she was completely enveloping him. “ _Ignis…_ ” she moaned and he felt his arousal pulse at the sound of her voice uttering his name in ecstasy. He couldn’t contain himself, he had to have her, he had to fuck her until her utterance became a scream. Gripping her hips he began thrusting inside of her, his rhythm slow but strong. He watched her fall apart in ecstasy, her breasts bouncing within the lacy black bra she was still wearing with each push, her moans getting louder.

The thought dawned on him that the others would rouse in their sleep because of the noise they were making, but it only made him want to pleasure her more intensely so they could watch him satisfy her. Ignis remembered that Gladiolus and Prompto flirted with her occasionally; he wanted them to see that ___ was now his. Their eyes locked and his heart raced, a wave of longing crashed over him. He wanted to kiss her, touch her, fuck her, love her like no one else ever had and ever will. He ran a hand down her torso, his thumb found her pleasure point and he began to rub it rhythmically with his thrusts. She breathed an obscenity as he pushed in and out of her faster, applying more pressure under his thumb. ___’s breathing soon became screams of pleasure, Ignis watched her climax, her face glowing with pleasure, then he gripped her hips again and began pushing and pulling her entire body around him so that he could cum inside her soon. “ _Oh yes, Ignis,_   _ **yes**_!” He was so close, so close to finally feeling his orgasm release inside of her. So close…

His eyes fluttered open. The roof of the tent stared back at him, not ___’s glowing, almost naked body. He heard the sounds of the others sleeping next to him, before becoming painfully aware of the erection he had. He looked down and saw it tenting the covers. Quickly he got up and left the tent in case the others saw him. When he was outside, Ignis contemplated dealing with it, but he glanced at the spot where ___ would have slept and arrived at the decision he didn’t deserve the release. He simply waited until his arousal had subsided, then made his way over to stand in ___’s spot to look out into the night. Some nights he swore he could see her in the distance, walking towards him. He had almost ran towards her image at full speed, ready to hold her and not let her go, but it was always an illusion. He was always standing alone when the sun broke on the horizon.  

[End of Part VI]


	7. Freya

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you would like to support me in writing this fic, I’d be seriously over the moon if you bought me a coffee on my ko-fi page: https://ko-fi.com/atarostarling  
> Please do not feel obligated!!

“You’re sure there’s a Royal Tomb in there?” Noctis asked, hiding behind the barricade that was set up around the perimeter of Lestallum.

“Affirmative.” Ignis replied, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “My sources are trustworthy, I can assure you.”

Gladio groaned. “Shit, we won’t walk 5 paces without bumping into a damn Niflheim soldier though!” The once peaceful, vibrant city was now crawling with Imperials. Magitek soldiers were interspersed with living soldiers, though the numbers of the latter were dwindling as the Niflheim empire sought to utilize the mysterious technology they acquired a few years ago.

“The Magitek will be troublesome to bypass, however I have intelligence that should provide a pathway to the power plant and to our final destination. The route I’ve secured should be patrolled only by humans. I’ve been told they’re currently doubling their shifts, along with this humidity they should be sluggish, so we can easily slip by unnoticed if we wait until the sun sets.” Ignis explained, looking towards Noctis for his seal of approval, who was still busy looking concerned at the amount of troops he was seeing.

“A Royal Tomb hidden beneath the power plant in Lestallum…did the news leak or something? Why else would there be so many Nif’s here?” Prompto mused aloud.

“It would appear so…” Ignis replied, glancing over the barricade alongside his companions.

Gladious sighed. “Well, we better lay low until night time…Gods, I’m so close to the Cup Noodle truck too…”

“Really, dude?” Noctis said.

* * *

When night fell, they began their journey to the center of Lestallum. Ignis was leader of the operation and used several gestures they had practiced earlier to indicate when to move and when to stay still. The plan was being executed perfectly, as was to be expected as it was conducted by the Strategist; they had slipped by numerous soldiers without incident. The power plant was in sight, they were all anxious to witness the tell-tale glow of their destination shining nearby. They were currently at a cross section between 4 alleyways. Ignis indicated they needed to head straight ahead, but had held his “wait” signal for a long while. Noctis began to grow impatient. “Psst…come on, it looks clear!”

“ _Hold and be quiet.”_ Hissed Ignis.

Another minute passed. “This is ridiculous.” Noctis said under his breath. Ignis ignored him, Gladio turned to elbow him lightly and brought a finger to his lips.

Finally, Noctis’ patience wore out. “I’m calling it, it’s clear.” He stumbled out of the formation, ignoring Prompto’s panicked noises and Gladiolus’ growls and walked ahead casually.

“ _Noct, get back here!”_ Ignis growled.

“Hold it!” A voice sounded from the left alleyway, out of the sight of the others. 

Noctis spun around in the middle of the poorly lit cross section. An Imperial soldier was making his way slowly towards him, he was clearly trying to identify Noctis but he was hidden in shadow for the time being.

“What are you doing here? …Hey, wait a minute, you’re-”

“Oh my goodness, AURON, we were supposed to meet up 30 minutes ago!” A female voice sounded from behind Noctis, everyone’s attention shifted to the girl who bounded from the East alleyway and wrapped her arms around Noctis. Gladiolus, Prompto and Ignis couldn’t see her face, until she pulled back from the hug and looked Noctis in the eyes. Gladiolus and Prompto’s breath hitched in their throats, Ignis felt the pit in his stomach deepen into the ground as Noctis tried his best not to give away his shock. It was ___. 

She looked different. She was wearing a wig, her hair was now long, wavy and purple with shades of blue and pink faded in. Her usual monochrome outfit was replaced with denim shorts, a grey top cut low to accentuate the shape of her chest. She was covered with a flowing shawl with kimono style sleeves that was decorated with angel wings. 

Ignis’ heart began pounding in his chest, so much so that he was worried that the soldier would hear it and discover the three of them hiding. He found himself leaning forward, as if his heart was reaching out to grab ___. Steadying himself, he tried to control his breath after realizing he was breathing audibly through his nose in the panic of seeing her again.  _What is she doing here? How did she find us? Why is she disguised? Gods, it’s really her…_ His mind couldn’t stop all the questions that her image conjured, but his soul was rejoicing at seeing her after concluding he never would never get a chance to ever again. Then he remembered. It seemed so illogical for him to forget. In the time that had passed he had imagined a scenario of their last conversation that ended in the two of them making love under the stars. This realization of his attraction to ___ had become a coping mechanism as well, for he realised that she left because of what he had accused her of. He felt ashamed that he had allowed his imagination to cover the truth, that he had hurt her deeply and that she would probably never forgive him. As all the thoughts spun around in his head like a hurricane, he observed the scene before him.

___’s eyes widened as she looked intently at Noctis; a signal to play along with her ruse. He laughed awkwardly, “u-uhhh…y-yeahh! Sorry ‘bout that.” ___ smiled at him and tilted her hip to one side, planting her hand on it and putting on her best pouting look.

“You promised me you wouldn’t be late this time.” She glanced over Noctis’ shoulder to where the soldier stood, confused. “Oh hey, Reeve!! Is that you under that helmet? I could spot that fine body a mile away.”

“What are you doing here, Freya?” The soldier relaxed a little, but still eyed Noctis suspiciously who tried to retreat into the shadows the best he could without causing alarm. Prompto looked over his shoulder at Gladio and mouthed the name “ _Freya?”,_ but Gladio responded with a shrug. 

“Oh, you know me, Reeve! Just trying to convince people to come to the Galbadia! Will I be seein’ you there tonight, honey?” ___ said, her speech uncharacteristically feminine and flirtatious. Ignis thought to himself how much she was channeling Cindy’s speech mannerisms.  

“No, I’m afraid not, I’m on duty all night. Sucks right?”

“Oh no! That’s so cruel of them! Didn’t you just pull an all day shift?” ___ moved her way to stand in front of him, touched his arm and looked sympathetic. Her charm worked, he immediately relaxed his stance and looked at the floor sheepishly. ___ gestured to Noctis behind her back to leave and he retreated to where the others were hiding. They moved out of earshot slowly and eventually heard ___ approaching. “Alright, sweety, I’ll see you later, ya hear?” ___ said as she backed away and turned to where they were hiding. Her expression darkened, she didn’t stop but walked by them. “Follow me.” ___ said curtly and they quickly did as she commanded before she disappeared around the corner.

She weaved in and out of the alleyways with proficiency, it was clear to them that she was an expert at navigating the labyrinthine streets. Suddenly she turned and opened up a heavy door to a stairwell in a run-down building. They climbed multiple floors in silence. When they had reached the top floor, ___ silently withdrew a key and unlocked 3 different locks to a red door and let them inside. She closed the door behind them, locking the door immediately, then turned to face them.

___ looked around at the men standing before her and tried her best not to allow her gaze to linger on Ignis. These past few months had felt like hell trying to recover from their last encounter. The shame she felt knowing that he saw her as an enemy was almost unbearable; she thought herself a fool for thinking that perhaps Ignis had warmed up to her during her time with the Insomnian’s. She had wept for days thinking she would never see them again, this gang of boys she had felt so comfortable around. But here they were, standing in her apartment, a place she never imagined they would be, looking at her with shock and concern. After months on her own she had started to gain confidence in her independence, she didn’t want them to see her break now at the mere sight of them standing in front of her.

“I can’t believe you guys are here. Are you crazy? This place is crawling with Imperials!” ___ said angrily. She spoke to them as if she had only just seen them the day before, they were all taken back by her tone.

“What the hell is going on here, ___?” Gladio said. “How did you know that soldier? What’s with the hair? Why did he call you Freya?”

___ sighed. Her expression softened, a familiar smile graced her features. “Looks like we’ve got a lot of catching up to do.” ___ said then she ran forward and hugged Noctis tightly. She clung to him for a moment before saying “I’m so sorry to hear about Insomnia and your Father, Noctis.” He stood awkwardly as she tightened her embrace of him, her affection intense but sincere. He relaxed and wrapped his arms around ___, resting his head on her shoulder and feeling the relief of knowing she was safe surge through his body. He’d lost so much recently, including her, he was happy to have her back in his life.  She pulled away and held Noctis’ shoulders in her hands at arms length and looked at him warmly, he struggled to keep eye contact with her loving gaze and blushed as he sheepishly looked away embarrassed. She laughed and placed a hand on his cheek and shoved his face away playfully, he stumbled and laughed feeling more at ease with this type of behavior. Her attention turned to Prompto and Gladiolus, she smiled and said “Come here, you guys!” and threw her arms around them in turn. They all laughed happily at the reunion, Gladio even lifted her and spun her around in relief. Gladiolus had tried to convince the others she had been ok, but thoughts of a demon killing her in the night had caused him to lose sleep occasionally since she had been gone.

Ignis stood stiffly looking at the display of affection ___ showed his friends. He wanted to join them in their happiness, but he knew he had better keep his distance.  ___ looked over at him, her smile faded slowly.

“Ignis.” She quietly said.

The memory of his erotic dream of her when she moaned his name flashed into his mind. He swallowed. “___” He replied, trying not to let his voice shake.

 _“You work for the Empire, don’t you?”_ Ignis’ voice filled her mind as it often had since she left them. In truth she was ashamed that she hadn’t stayed to work through the issue with him. After all, if she had told them the truth about who she is, then maybe he would have understood. Instead she had ran away from them. She had learned to forgive Ignis for what he had accused her of, but looking at his piercing green eyes she couldn’t help but revert back to the feelings she felt on the night she left; full of childish anger.  _How could he have thought that of me?_

The tension between them filled the room suddenly, no one knew whether to leave them to it or to interject. “I’m sure you’re wondering where I’ve been since I left.” ___ said, then using one hand pulled off the wig and tugged at her natural hair to style it into it’s usual place.

“Yes. Though…I’m glad to see you’re well, ___.” Ignis said calmly. ___ was taken off guard. The disdain he had shown her when they last spoke was no where to be found, here he was stood before her acting like the perfect gentleman.  _Does that mean he realizes he was wrong?_ Despite all that had happened, even hearing him say her name had a rippling effect through her being, like a stone cast in water. 

“Thank you… Ignis.”

___ looked to the ground and intertwined her fingers. She glanced up at Ignis momentarily before snapping out of her introspection and looking over to where Noctis, Prompto and Gladio were gathering hesitantly. “I’ll tell you guys everything. But first, I need a drink.”

* * *

The mood had eased considerably, each of them was now sat in a different piece of mismatched furniture in the corner of the apartment that they assumed was her living room. The apartment wasn’t anything special in theory, but she had decorated it to feel homey and inviting. Judging by the amount of furniture, the throws and cushions, as well as the cozy lights that hung from the ceiling; ___ entertained guests often. After some small talk, ___ settled in to update them on what she had been doing for all this time.

“When I left you guys I quickly realised just how little gil I had to my name, so I came straight to Lestallum to find a job and save up some money. Getting here was a struggle though, I walked day and night and by the time I got to town I collapsed in the heat and woke up in this very apartment.” ___ looked around at her home, fondness written on her face. She looked at her friends and saw the concern written on their faces. “The person who found me was Sammy…he owns this building and the bar that I now work in.”

“Wait a minute, didn’t you mentioned the Galbadia before? Isn’t that the club you kept going on about?” Gladio interjected.

“The very same! Weird, huh?” ___ replied.

“So…you’re a hooker now?” Noctis inquired.

“What?! No! I’m a waitress!”

“Uh…huh.” Prompto skeptically said.

“Really, I am! I just wear that wig to try and blend in a little. It’s also so that people don’t recognize me as much when I leave.”

“Anyway…you got a job as hooker…continue.” Noctis joked.

“Very funny, NOCT. Sammy found me, brought me here since no one was occupying it at the time and helped me get my strength back. I told him I needed a job and he asked me if I wanted to work at his bar. I didn’t want to at first, but after a trial shift I had a lot of fun and the money was great. The people there are like a family, they really look out for each other. So I took the job, started paying for rent on this place and life was going pretty smoothly. Then we heard about Insomnia…”

___ looked over to Noctis who visibly was still shaken by the thought of his Father’s death and the demise of his home. “I…I wish I could have been there with you all. I’m so sorry, guys.”

“Thanks, ___.” Prompto said with a sad smile. She reached over and held his hand and gave him an encouraging smile in return and he seemed to perk up. Ignis witnessed the tenderness of her touch and how much of an effect she had on others, he admired her and envied her equally. He felt a pang of guilt knowing that with her around, perhaps their suffering might have been eased a little. ___ released Prompto’s hand and she continued.

“The world changed after that. The Empire spread like a virus. We started seeing soldiers around town and they’d find their way into the bar. I wanted to kill them for what they did, Sammy even caught me slipping a kitchen knife up my sleeve one night, but he told me there were other ways to seek revenge.” ___ paused and looked at her friends who were all listening to her intently. She blushed a little, not used to having all their attention at once. “It turns out Sammy is part of a network of people who are working on building a resistance against the Empire. It’s not a resistance of soldiers but more of a support system. He began training me on how to recruit people for the cause, including Niflheim soldiers.”

“How?” Ignis asked.

“It’s all psychology, really. It’s easy to look at a soldier and forget about the human underneath the armor. You’d be surprised, but most of the men who were recruited come from places where the Empire trampled them like ants and they had no choice but to surrender. We offer them a way to leave the army, go back to their loved ones and provide sanctuary for them in a safe place away from the Empire’s reach.”

“Wow…I had no idea there were people working on resisting the Empire.” Prompto said.

“Good, because the whole point is so no one knows. Otherwise the Empire would find them and kill them and their families for deserting.” ___ said sternly.

“Don’t worry, we won’t tell anyone.” Gladiolus assured her. She nodded.

“I’m sorry, it’s just a tense situation right now with this amount of activity in Lestallum. I’m guessing you guys are here for the Royal Tomb?” ___ asked. Noctis looked surprised.

“How do you know about the tomb?” He said.

“You’d be surprised how much drunk soldiers give away. I don’t know much but what I do know is that they’re guarding it 24/7 with Magitek. It’s sounds like they want to turn the path to the tomb into a slaughterhouse for you guys.” Concern showed on ___’s features. The four friends looked at one another. ___ suddenly laughed. “Don’t worry about it! You’ve got me now.” ___ said with a wink.

“What are you saying?” Gladio asked, leaning forward.

“I’ve happened to learn about the shift patterns the soldiers take around the power plant. I can get you inside and on the right path leading to the tomb, but you’ll still encounter resistance leading to its doors. It shouldn’t be too much for you guys to handle, you can thank one doting customer from the Galbadia for taking quite the shine to me for the information.” ___ replied raising a knowing finger and winking at Gladiolus. Ignis looked away to hide his frown. The thought of some sleazy soldier hitting on ___ made his stomach turn.

“Awesome!” Prompto exclaimed and Noctis sat up straighter smiling at the news.

“It’ll still be tough though, you guys had better lay low in here while we come up with a plan. It might get a little cramped in here, but the hotel is crawling with soldiers, and not friendly ones at that.”

“We’d appreciate that, ___. Thank you.” Ignis said and smiled warmly at her. She looked at Ignis confused at his sincerity, then smiled and nodded at him.

“No problem.”

[End of Part VII]


	8. The Underground Tomb

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you would like to support me in writing this fic, I’d be seriously over the moon if you bought me a coffee on my ko-fi page: https://ko-fi.com/atarostarling  
> Please do not feel obligated!!

The plan was in place, the problem was when they were going to get a chance to execute it. ___ had gathered intelligence through her connections at the Galbadia; she had discovered that there was one over-achieving Captain, Kuja, who would work his soldiers to the brink of exhaustion to prove a point to his superiors in the hope of a promotion. However, Kuja would occasionally be tempted to the Galbadia due to his infatuation with one of the girls who worked there. During the few hours that he was indulging in his primal urges, the soldiers on duty would use the opportunity to take a breather and relax. It was during one of Kuja’s stints in the Galbadia that ___ and the boys would infiltrate the power plant. Luckily, ___ had become friendly with the women who worked at the plant, they had given her a map of the interior and told her exactly where the entrance to the Royal Tomb would be. The Empire had stationed Magitek soldiers throughout the power plant to throw any intruders off guard, but luckily now they knew precisely where to look.

The issue was waiting for Kuja to enter the bar, which could never be predicted. Noctis, Prompto, Gladiolus and Ignis had to wait in ___’s apartment, prisoners in her humble abode. The months of sleeping in a tent together had prepared them to live in such close proximity, but after day three they began to feel the tension rising. ___ would come and go, working shifts at the Galbadia every night waiting for Kuja, so she spent the morning and early part of the afternoon sleeping to recover. When she awoke, she would go shopping and bring back ingredients for Ignis to cook a meal with for them all. Then, when the sun began to set, ___ would make her way to her job at the bar.

“Tonight’s the night, I feel it in my bones!” Prompto said, jogging on the spot.

“Would you just sit down? I can’t handle your bouncing around right now.” Noctis said.

“Tch.” Prompto replied, annoyed, but he did as he was told. This was probably the closest he had gotten to snapping at Noctis.

“We’ll just have to sit here and wait for ___ to  _maybe_  come back with the news. Regardless, make sure we’re ready for action no matter the outcome.” Gladio instructed.

Ignis was stood by the window, arms folded, looking down at the streets below. “What are you thinking about, Iggy?” Gladio asked.

“…Nothing in particular.”

“So you’re not thinking about how great ___’s looking these days?” 

Noctis and Prompto were sat on a couch, phones in their hands pretending that their attention was not on Gladio and Ignis. Noctis had never seen Gladio be so forward with Ignis, this seemed like forbidden territory for the years they’ve all known one another. Prompto messaged Noctis: “ _Shots fired!”_ and Noctis tried his best not to smirk.

“And why do you infer that I would be thinking about ___?”

“Oh, you know, I just notice things.” Gladio said, a smirk on his face and a twinkle in his almond eyes.

“Pray tell what  _things_  have you noticed, exactly?” Ignis replied, turning away from the window and resting a hand on his hip. His expression remained neutral, but his words were telling of his disdain for the conversation. Noctis messaged Prompto: “ _He’s dropped the ‘Pray tell’ bomb. Shit’s going down.”_ Prompto had to bite his lip to stop himself from laughing.

“Come on Iggy, it’s no secret the girl has had a crush on you from day one. You couldn’t have been that oblivious, right?” Ignis remained silent, his pale green eyes fixed on Gladio, who didn’t show a hint of being intimidated. “I figured you didn’t really care, that is, until recently. ___ seems to have her life sorted out, she took the high road after your spat with her, plus she’s planning a mission for us all and you’ve placed your complete trust in her. I’d say you got the hots for her.”

“Could it not be that I have simply grown accustomed to the idea that she could be an excellent part of the team and I should trust her intelligence? What makes you think my attentiveness has anything to do with being attracted to her?”

“You were pretty damn attentive about the way she was getting ready for her shift earlier.”

Prompto’s lips pursed into the shape of an “O” at the situation unfolding before him. They gave up the charade that they were playing  _King’s Knight_  and were now staring at Ignis for his reaction. Ignis remained silent, his eyebrows narrowed, trying to think about the best rebuttal. Gladio continued. “Listen, Iggy, I’m sorry for bringing this up. If something were to happen with you and ___ I’d be over the moon. But I gotta say, you need to clear the air with her. You might have gone back on what you said to her, but it’s clearly still bothering her no matter how convincing of a front she puts on.”

“She doesn’t act like anything is bothering her.”

“Yeah, because she’s trying to be nice to us. Who in their right mind would bring something like that up in front of his friends in a crowded apartment?”

Ignis finally looked away from Gladio, who took it as an indication that he had got through to him and shifted in his seat as if moving under Ignis’ watch would’ve caused him to strike. “I’ll admit that I had not considered that. I will talk to her once we have secured the Royal Tomb and we can leave her apartment.” Ignis replied.

“So Ignis, you didn’t deny you have it bad for her.” Noctis quipped.

Ignis sighed, taking off his glasses to rub his eyes. The three men were waiting in anticipation for his response. “I suppose I should divulge in these rumors, if it will cease everyone’s speculation indefinitely.” They all nodded enthusiastically in unison and Ignis took this cue and sat down on an armchair.

“I do not know what I feel about ___. I’m confused, if anything. When we first met her my mind was full of suspicions. When she left… my mind was full of regret. Our mission to secure the Royal arm is my number one priority while we’re in Lestallum, but I cannot deny that I have noticed a change in her.” Ignis leaned back in the chair, crossing a leg over the other. He rubbed his chin with a gloved forefinger as he continued, the others began to feel like he was talking to himself more than he was talking to them. “I’ll admit I thought she was using us as a crutch before, but here she stands before me operating a mission alongside us. She’s putting her life on the line to ensure our success. I… admire her.” Noctis thought he could see the trace of a smile on his lips, he jumped a little when Ignis suddenly leaned forward and looked at them all in turn. “That does not mean I am attracted to her, I am merely observing a change in her that I find commendable.”

“Cut the crap, Ignis.” Gladiolus said. “Tell us the truth.”

“Fine. There is a possibility that I may…”

The front door burst open making them all jump to attention. ___ entered the apartment and immediately began removing her wig and shawl. “It’s go time, boys.”

* * *

They were lined up along the railing that separated them from the crater in which the power plant was built upon. ___ had changed from her waitress attire into an all-black outfit composed of her usual black lace up boots, skinny black trousers and a black tank top. She had a small bag containing emergency curatives attached to the side of her left thigh held on by belts that wrapped around her leg. Prompto had told her she looks like she’s truly part of the gang before they left her apartment, which had caused her to blush and mess up his hair as he walked out the door. She pulled her phone from her pack and sent a message. A minute later a group of workers left the front doors of the plant in a hoard, talking loudly. “I arranged for a little distraction just in case.” ___ said turning back to clear the confusion written on their faces.

From the top of the stairs that led down into the town square a food cart was wheeled into a corner near the start of the bridge. The women of the plant gathered around whooping and cheering as they began to crack open booze and celebrated a mystery occasion. It wasn’t long before the soldiers who were guarding the entrance to the power plant were coaxed over by the temptation of food and drink by the ladies. They were enveloped in cheer, ___ took her cue and began making her way to the bridge, the men followed closely behind her. When they were dangerously close to the fake party, where just a glance from a soldier could have sounded the alarm throughout the city, ___ made eye contact with one of the women who nodded and made her way over to the food cart. Suddenly the grill erupted into flames and cries of panic drew the attention away from the bridge, which ___ and the Insomnian’s were now crossing undetected.

“That…was…genius!!” Prompto exclaimed when they were safely out of ear shot and heading to the side entrance of the building.

“Thank you kindly, good sir.” ___ said and bowed.

“Alright, let’s not lose our focus now, there’s a long way to go.” Gladio reminded them.

* * *

After hours of studying the map they all had a sense of the inside of the building before they had even cast their own eyes on it in person. In unison they made their way around the plant, ensuring they were not seen by the Magitek who stood like eerie statues around the central structure. The structural steel skeleton provided plenty of nooks and crannies for them to hide as they made their way to a gap between two large tanks, where the hidden entrance to the tomb waited for them.

“So far, so good.” Noctis remarked when they were clear of the tanks and faced with a stone entryway that looked startlingly organic within the confines of the metal jungle of the power plant.

“Our stealth is about to end here, who knows how many Magitek are waiting in there for us.” Remarked ___. 

“___, there’s no reason for you to go any further with us, for your own safety perhaps you should wait here” said Ignis.

“No way. I’m going in with you.” ___ replied and began walking through the stone archway and into the rocky corridor. They followed her into the darkness.

“Here we go again…” whimpered Prompto.

“Wanna hold my hand, P?” ___ said which caused Noctis and Gladio to snicker.

“Shut up!…” Prompto replied, then after a pause she felt his hand grip hers. ___ was about to say something, but his worried expression was too cute for her to resist not indulging in his fear of darkness. 

Eventually the walls widened, ahead they saw an enormous open cavern. Gladio held out his arm and motioned for them to retreat slightly back into their corridor to plan their next move.

“This is it.” ___ said.

“This is what?” asked Noctis.

“There’ll be an ambush here. I can feel it.”

“Look, over there.” Ignis said, pointing to the opposite side of the cavern. There was an opening to another corridor, they could faintly make out the structure of the Royal Tomb at the end. “We just have to pass through this arena as quickly as possible. If we are indeed ambushed we should push our way in that direction where we can bottle neck the enemy. If we remain in here we’ll be overwhelmed.”

“That’s our only option” agreed Gladio.

“You sure about doing this, ___? This isn’t your fight.” Noctis asked with concern.

“I’m going in there with you. Besides, I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve…well, in my pack more specifically.” ___ said as she reached into the pack on her thigh and pulled out a set of black brass knuckles and slipped them onto her fingers. She made a fist and showed them that they had an electrical charge attached. “I spent too long being on the sidelines watching you guys take the heat, it’s my turn to be in the action helping out. I’ll be careful, I promise.” 

Ignis looked at the expression on her face, this wasn’t just about helping them find the Royal Tomb, this was more to her. He wanted to stop everything, ask her if she was ok, ask her to share her burden with him. His mind snapped back into reality, he needed to focus his mind if he were to survive. 

“Are you sure?” Noctis asked.

“Yes. I’ve got my own reasons to do this.” Replied ___. Noctis looked at her, noticing that her eyes were now fixed on their destination, her body crouched like a Coeurl ready to pounce.  

“She’s ready.” Gladio said and patted her on the back. ___ relaxed her body a little and smiled up at him.

“Ok. Let’s make a run for it.” Prompto said.

Gladio began the countdown, “3…2…1…GO.”

They sprinted out of the corridor and headed to the other side. From the shadows of the cavern walls a Magitek army sprung into life, like cockroaches disturbed by light. By the time they had reached the center of the cavern, there were around 50 Magitek formed before them, a wall of glowing red eyes. ____’s face grew dark and she picked up her pace ahead of the men; before they could match her speed she planted a foot down and leaped through the air. Her leg shot out in front of her and she collided with the torso of the leading Magitek soldier, which sent it flying back and taking down multiple surrounding entities. ___ cried out in anger as she brought her fists down to its neck and electrocuted it mercilessly with her knuckles.

Noctis warped to the Magitek who was stood in front of her, who had raised its axe ready to strike ___ before Noctis’ blade pierced it. Gladiolus had reached them and was swinging his broad sword wildly, taking out multiple soldiers. Ignis used his polearm to incapacitate the soldiers on the opposite side of Gladiolus, while Prompto sniped any soldiers that managed to break through their attacks from behind. The five of them created a circle of destruction that moved slowly towards the corridor, constantly pushing to progress through the cavern. The Empire made the fatal mistake of overcompensation, since the close proximity of the Magitek soldiers caused them to fall like domino’s when attacked.

___ retreated and joined Prompto’s side, using her electric punches to disable any soldiers that snaked their way towards the sharpshooter. Just when their energy was about to dwindle, Noctis, Ignis and Gladiolus had made it to the corridor. However, a wall of Magitek had closed around them as the distance between Prompto and ___ grew further apart from the three of them. ___ could no longer handle so many Magitek with just her fists.

“NOCTIS, LANCE!”

Noctis summoned his lance and hurled it over the Magitek and it landed at ___’s feet. She pulled it from the ground and swung it across in front of her as it collided with a row of Magitek. Spinning the polearm around her as if it were as light as a ribbon she made her way through the crowd, while Ignis, Noctis and Gladio continued their efforts to clear a path in between them. When the last soldier that divided them collapsed, Prompto and ___ regrouped with their comrades.

“Time to end this.” Noctis said and flung a lightening spell at the remaining soldiers, who collapsed instantly. Chests heaving, the group stood recovering.

“We did it…” ___ said, removing the brass knuckles from her fingers and shaking out her now trembling hands.

“You did good out there, kid.” Gladio said, draping his arm around her shoulders.

“Kid? I’m a year younger than you are!” Replied ___. Gladio laughed and playfully shoved her.

“Let us proceed to the tomb and leave before reinforcements arrive, shall we?” Ignis said, ___ thought to herself about how he barely showed signs of exhaustion after the battle.

“Right…” Noctis said and entered the tomb.

____ remained outside and rummaged through her pack for a roll of bandage. Ignis stopped and observed her. He noticed she had several cuts on her legs and arms. “Are you hurt?” he asked her, pointing at the deepest looking cut on her bicep.

“Nothing serious.” ___ replied as she focused her attention of unwrapping the roll and covering the wound. Using her less dominant hand she began trying to tend to the cut, but fumbled and dropped the roll. “Ah, shit.”

“Allow me.” Ignis said and he picked up the roll.

“No, it’s fine. Really.”

Ignis ignored her, she stopped her protests as soon as he gently took her arm and began wrapping the bandage around the wound. His touch made her heart race, all the aches and pains she felt vanished. She realised this was the longest physical contact she had received from him other than the odd tap on the back. Looking at him concentrate on her arm, she felt her temples begin to pulsate as she observed his face. The sharpness of his jawline. His plump lips parted slightly as he worked on her injury. The shape of his pale green eyes behind the frames of his glasses that looked as if the creator manufactured them to fit his face alone.  _Stop being so perfect, Specs._ ___ thought to herself and giggled a little at her girlish thought. He glanced at her and she looked away, but he unmistakably caught the sight of her blushing at his touch. He couldn’t help but feel himself smile at her bashfulness. 

“There. That should do for now until I can put a small potion on there to aid the healing.”

“Thank you.”

The boys emerged from the cavern, Noctis’ hand rubbing his chest idly. Gladio spotted the bandage on her arm. “You got knicked?”

“Just a little.”

“Amateur.”

“Why you little…” ___ started towards him, but Prompto jumped in front of her as Gladio chuckled to himself.

“Let’s wait until we get out of here, huh?” Prompto said nervously.

“HALT.” A single Empire soldier was stood in front of them, his gun raised at them. They froze, but ___ took a step forward as she identified him.

“Reeve?!”

“Freya?! W-what are you doing here? Why are you with them?”

“Reeve, lower your gun, we’re not the enemy.” ___ walked slowly towards him.

“I…I have to do this.” Reeve began to shake, but he lowered his gun with each step ___ took towards him.

“No, Reeve,” ___ said soothingly. “You don’t have to do anything they say. I can help you. You just need to lower the gun and I can take you to someone who will help you, I promise.”

He looked as if he was about to drop his weapon, but he shook his head and thrust his gun up to point it directly at ___.

“___!” Noctis cried out.

“___?? Wait…is Freya even your real name?” Reeve asked, his voice growing hysterical.

“No, Reeve. Freya was my name at the Galbadia. ___ is my real name.”

“So you’ve been lying to me this whole time?!”

“Come on now, it’s just a name. Remember the time we’ve spent together, Reeve. We’ve laughed together, cried together…you told me all about your family.”

“That’s why I have to do this, Fre…___…whatever!” Reeve’s panic was rising with each stutter. “K-Kuja told us if we could bring in the Prince and his friends we could see our families again.”

“Kuja was lying to you, Reeve. He won’t let you go. He’s using you. He’s in the Galbadia right now with Adel after telling you all he’d punish any of you if he caught you in there. Don’t let him get to you, let me help you.”

Reeve held onto his gun, trembling. ___ held her arms up, but she was inches away from the barrel of the gun now. 

“I need to see my family.” Reeve sobbed.

Suddenly, ___ grabbed Reeve’s wrist and pushed it the side, then punched him in the jaw and snatched the gun from his hands and pointed it at him as he stumbled back.

“I’m sorry, Reeve, I didn’t want to hurt you. But I can’t let you make this mistake, ok?”

His anguish quickly turned to anger. “You bitch, I’ll call for backup, you’ll never get out of here alive!” 

“There’s no need for that, it’s not too late.” ___ took apart the gun and threw the mechanisms on the ground. “I’m not going to hurt you. Let me help you. I promise you, you can see your family again if you just let us leave.”

Reeve stood trembling, sweat beading down his forehead. “I want to see them again, Freya. I’ve gotta do this.” He reached his hand swiftly into his pocket and pulled out a radio.

“P!” ___ yelled.

Immediately Prompto shot the radio out of Reeve’s hands, who stared at his bleeding hand and glared at ___ before lunging towards her and wrapping his other hand around her throat. Before ___  could react, she saw a flash of silver and then saw Reeve’s horrified expression. His grip loosened on her throat enough for her concentrate but her breathing was still restricted. Ignis was stood at their side, his dagger pressed against Reeve’s throat.

“Release her.” Ignis said calmly, but his eyes burned fiercely.

Reeve stayed motionless, his eyes darting wildly between ___ and Ignis.

“Release her now…I won’t ask you again.” Ignis pressed the dagger deeper into his skin, enough for a thin line of blood to begin to drip down his neck. Reeve released his grip. ___ gasped for air and rubbed her throat. Gladio held her up as she regained her composure.

“I’ve got you.” Gladio said to her soothingly.

Despite Reeve following his instruction Ignis had not lowered his blade. “Ignis…let’s go.” Noctis said. Ignis snapped out of his trance and lowered the blade. They all walked away from Reeve, who dropped to the floor and wailed into his hands.

[End of Part VIII]


	9. United

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you would like to support me in writing this fic, I’d be seriously over the moon if you bought me a coffee on my ko-fi page: https://ko-fi.com/atarostarling  
> Please do not feel obligated!!

Once they managed to leave the power plant and begin their journey to where the Regalia was being stored, the five of them witnessed the beginnings of the Niflheim army stir at the news that the Lucian’s had bypassed security and secured the Royal Arm they were desperately trying to protect. With the help of the power plant workers, they made it out of Lestallum undetected and headed to the safe haven a few miles away to regroup with Sammy.

It was still dark by the time they parked, so the boys brought their camping equipment with them; when they reached the site they saw a large, bearded man waiting for them.  

“Sammy!” ___ exclaimed and ran over to hug him.  

“Here are your things, as requested.” He replied. “I’ll consider the apartment still yours on the condition you keep in touch.”

The men dropped their camping equipment in a chaotic heap and stared at Sammy. He towered over Gladio in both height and build. His voice and mannerisms were all pointed toward the burliest of men, except for the purple sequined dress he was wearing.

“Thank you, Sammy. I don’t think I can ever thank you enough for what you’ve done for me.” ___ said and wrapped her arms around his torso the best she could given his circumference.  

“Once this is over, you come see me at the Galbadia, ya hear?”

“I hear.” ___ said with a sad smile. He pulled her in for a gentle hug and kissed her tenderly on the head.

Sammy turned and walked to stand over the men. He frowned as he looked at them all in turn. They instinctively took a step back. Finally, he spoke. “If she chooses to stick with you, you take good care of her. Ya hear?”

“W-we hear.” Gladio croaked after some hesitation.

Sammy grunted and walked back to the shining lights of Lestallum.

“ _That_ was Sammy?!” Noctis said when he felt it was safe to do so, but he still whispered.

“Yup.” ___ replied and began setting up her tent nonchalantly.

“Will he be alright walking back when it’s dark?” Ignis asked.

“Umm…Iggy…did you see the size of him? People say that Iron Giant’s run FROM him.”

* * *

The early morning hours proceeded like old times for the five of them. They decided to have a simple meal and sleep through to the late morning. Usually ___ was used to these hours, but the battle in the Royal Tomb had left her exhausted. Without a reminder Ignis gave ___ a potion concoction to put on her wounds.  As she was idly rubbing the formula on her various cuts and bruises she mused out loud. “I hope Reeve’s gonna be ok…”

The boys looked at each other around the camp fire, unsure if they heard her correctly.

“You still care about what happens to him after what he did to you?” asked Noctis.

“Of course I do. These men have suffered at the hands of the Empire, they’re only acting on fear. The Nif’s are taking away their freedoms and parading false glory in their faces. It’s brainwashing.”

“I never really thought of it like that.” Prompto said, shifting in his seat.

Ignis was staring at the fire. “___…” he said quietly, which made her stop what she was doing and look towards him. He turned to look at ___. “I was overcome with anger after witnessing his actions when you were trying to help him. I apologise if what I did upset you.”

___ wasn’t expecting such a sincere apology from him, she hadn’t thought much about what Ignis did since she was so focused on getting out of Lestallum alive. Now he had reminded her, she remembered his actions in the cavern. Deep down she knew she should be horrified by what he did, but remembering how quickly he had been by her side when she was in danger was intoxicating to contemplate. A tingling sensation shot through her loins as she recalled the sound of his voice in her ear as he demanded Reeve to release her. After realizing she had been lost in thought for too long and was keeping Ignis waiting for a response, she spoke.  

“Don’t worry. I understand your anger. I was the same way when I first had to interact with the soldiers at the Galbadia. Reeve…he just wasn’t ready for the truth. I’d been working on rehabilitating him for a while now… but I knew he needed more time. His love for his family was too strong, for better or for worse.”

Ignis looked at her and smiled sympathetically, nodding his head slightly. “I’m sure he’ll be ok.” 

“He won’t. They’ll ‘process’ him just like the others who step out of line or fail.” ___ said as she continued to tend to her wounds. Though her tone indicated she felt nothing, her eyes reflected a sadness that she couldn’t disguise.

“Process?” Gladiolus asked.

“I don’t know what it means. I just know soldiers are taken out of rank and disappear. They call it ‘processing’. They tell the others they’ve just been transferred, or even promoted, but no one hears from them again.”

“Where do you think they go?” Prompto asked, concerned.

“I honestly don’t know. Then again, maybe I just don’t want to think about it.” ___ said with a sigh. “All I know is that I have to do everything I can to stop them.”

“I’m right there with you.” Noctis said and smiled at her encouragingly. She returned his smile and stood up.

“Well, I should get some rest since I’ll be leaving in the morning for my pilgrimage. I promise I’ll say goodbye to you this time.” ___ said with a wink.

“Wait, what? You’re leaving us again?” Prompto said leaning on the edge of his camp chair.

“Well, yeah. I’ve got stuff to do!”

“What stuff?” Gladio asked.

“You know…stuff! Pilgrimage-ing and all that!”

“What IS this pilgrimage you keep talking about anyway?” Noctis said as he crossed his arms.

“It’s…” ___ looked up to the sky searching for the words before snapping her fingers when she came up with the right explanation. “It’s kinda like your quest for the Royal Arms. I’ve got to go to various places in Eos and pay my respects to my ancestors at various temples.”

“Well if we’re doing the same thing then why can’t we just do it alongside each other until we go to Altissia?” asked Noctis.

“Because! It’s more poignant to do it solo. Yeah…I should probably do it alone.”

“That doesn’t mean you’re forbidden to do it alone though, does it?” Chimed in Gladiolus.

___ laughed a little, then her expression turned solemn. Noctis saw the change in her temperament and elaborated. “The way I see it is that you helped us big time with getting inside that power plant. We couldn’t have done it without you, ___. Now we’re in your debt. Let us help you at least once on your pilgrimage, wherever it takes you, then we’ll be even.”

“That’s sweet of you to offer, Noct, but I feel like I’d only end up getting caught up in having fun with you all. I can’t keep distracting myself any longer. I’m sorry. I should really get some rest, guys. Goodnight.”

The four men were shocked by her response, but said goodnight to her in unison and watched her head into her tent. They stayed up a while longer before making preparations to go to sleep. When they were in their own tent, Prompto and Noctis fell asleep immediately as usual. Ignis always took a while longer to drift into a sleep, so he used the time to read a book. Gladio took the opportunity to use this chance to speak to him with as much privacy as possible.  

“Iggy, you gotta convince her to stay.”

Ignis looked over at Gladio incredulously.

“I’m not sure anything I could say would help change her mind. If she wants to travel alone I’m not going to try and stop her.”

“She doesn’t want to travel alone though.”

“If that were true then why would she insist on it?”

Gladio lifted himself so he was resting his head on his hand. “Iggy…you’re the dumbest smart person I know.”

“…What?”

“Alright, let me put it this way. Do you want to see her walk away again and not know where she is or if she’s ok?” Gladio said, raising his eyebrows for emphasis.

Ignis laid his book on his chest and contemplated what Gladiolus had asked him for a moment before responding. “I suppose not.”

“She’ll listen to you, Ignis. Trust me on this. Just…drop the hero act and just be honest with her. You said it yourself you admired her, don’t you want to have her stick around?”

“Fine.”

“Good.” With that Gladio waited to turn around before he smiled at his victory, then went to sleep, leaving Ignis to lay awake wondering how he was ever going to convince ___ to stay. 

* * *

As usual, Ignis was the first to wake up. He left the tent and found ___ awake already, it took him a second to realise it was her since she was currently performing a hand stand facing away from him. With complete control she dropped one leg after the other and carried out a number of stretches, each one leading seamlessly into the other. It reminded him of her fighting style, fluid but powerful. Ignis found it captivating to watch. Eventually she ended up facing his direction and her closed eyes fluttered open. Her stance changed immediately to her usual self.  

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t see you.”

“That’s quite alright.” Ignis said with a soft smile. His hair was messy from his night of sleep, some strands fell loosely on his forehead. He wore his usual night time attire of a fitted white t-shirt and grey sweatpants. This was the same outfit he wore the night she left them, now that she could see him in the daylight ___ noticed the contours of his toned, athletic body underneath the fabric. To avoid letting her eyes linger for long, she tried to make small talk.

“Are the others even close to waking up?” She managed to utter.

“I’m sure within the next hour or five Noctis will wake up.” Ignis said with a self-satisfied smirk and made his way over to the kitchen area to brew his morning Ebony.

“He sure does love his sleep.”

“That he does.”

___ observed Ignis brewing his coffee, watching his un-gloved hands work. He wore his gloves all throughout the day; seeing them exposed felt like seeing an intimate part of his body. She imagined those fingers grazing her inner thighs gently, but jumped when he spoke and tore her from her reverie.

“___, I want to ask you something.”

“Oh y-yeah?” ___ stuttered, she tried to disguise it by clearing her throat. Ignis continued as if he hadn’t noticed anything.

“Yes. I think everyone would be delighted to escort you to the first temple you need to visit, wherever it may be. After all, as Noctis said, your assistance was vital in securing the latest Royal Arm. We are in your debt.”

“I despise that phrase, that you’re in my debt. I didn’t help you guys because I wanted some favor from you.”

“Understood. Then, how about you consider it our way of saying a genuine ‘thank you’ instead? I know it would mean a lot to Noctis if you stayed. He really wants to help you.”

___ stood and grabbed her left elbow with her right hand, a habit she had when contemplating something, Ignis had noticed. After some time, she asked him, “And what about you? What do you want?”

Ignis had been drinking his coffee as he was speaking to her, but after hearing this question he put his mug down. “What do you mean?”

___ put a hand on her hip. “Come on, Ignis. We’re not cooped up in my apartment anymore. The last time we spoke like this you accused me of being a Niflheim spy. I’m not sure I’m comfortable traveling with someone who distrusts me.”

Ignis went to place his hand on his hip, then realised he would be mirroring her and decided to fold his arms instead. “I merely pieced together the information you provided. Your circumstances were suspicious. It’s my duty to think logically. You shouldn’t have taken what I said so personally.”

___’s jaw dropped in disbelief. She took a step closer to him and pointed to him as she said; “Well, piece together this: You’re a god damn jerk.”

Ignis frowned deeply and took two steps closer to her. “And you’re insufferably vague about who you are and where you came from.”

“I don’t need to tell you anything about where I came from.”

“Then you cannot get angry at me formulating conclusions based on my experiences interacting with you.”

“Is that what you see me as? Just a piece of information to dissect and analyze?”

Ignis froze. There was that line again, or at least a variant of it.  _“Is that what you see me as? Some **girl**?”_ They were repeating history. He knew if he didn’t say something that would change the course of this conversation soon then she would be walking away from them all over again. His heart raced as he internally panicked, trying to search for the words, but struggling. ___ stood looking furiously at him, then laughed in disbelief when he failed to reply to her question. “Well. Thank you for the offer, but I think I’m better off on my own.”

___ began ripping the pegs of her tent from the ground.  _What am I doing?_ She thought.  _I’m better than this. Just slow down and talk this through. He doesn’t think with his heart like you do._ Despite her mind talking sense to her she continued to stomp around her tent trying to pack away her belongings. Then, she felt a hand on her arm, pulling her from her crouched position to standing. ___ wasn’t sure why, but she thought it was Gladio, she was used to him man-handling her this way. She gasped a little when she saw it was Ignis. He held onto her arm as he spoke. 

“Don’t.” Ignis whispered, with a small shake of his head. 

 _What does he mean by that? “Don’t be so stupid?” Who does he think he is?_ However, the look in his eyes made her replay the moment and divorce her instinct to be offended. It made her reconsider everything. The feeling of his skin on her arm, the longing expression on his face, the softness of his voice. The Strategist wasn’t scolding her…he was pleading to her.

No matter how much her heart pounded with desire, she had learned to be independent in his absence. Despite Sammy being one of the most masculine men she had ever met, sparkling dresses included, he had spent many hours coaching her on not letting her heart get in the way of her dignity. He also pointed out that she was prone to taking things personally instead of slowing down and thinking reasonably. She always found it amusing that a drag queen had taught her so much about being a woman than any other female had. Remembering Sammy’s voice in her head, she contemplated Ignis. This man may be some undiscovered Astral in disguise, but even so he had hurt her deeply in the past and had never apologized for it. Finally, ___ shook his hand from her arm. “Don’t what?” she asked calmly, but sternly.

Ignis retreated at first, feeling her eyes penetrate his walls. He knew that he could never forgive himself if he gave up now, nor could he tell the others that he had let her go once again. He had to try again, so he approached ___ slowly this time, gently placing his hands on her shoulders. It was then when she felt all of Sammy’s advice crumble under his touch. She tried to look up at him, but couldn’t meet his eyes as she heard him speak softly to her. “Forgive me for everything I’ve ever said that has hurt you. I don’t think you would ever harm us, I’ve always known that, but my mind has been trained to think outside the boundaries of emotion. I know it’s not a very good excuse and I can’t promise I will change overnight, but I want you to stay.”

“Do you mean it?” ___ said, still looking downward at his torso. She wanted desperately to look at his face as he spoke, she wanted to see his features in this moment and remember every little detail. However, the power he had over her was debilitating, so she couldn’t manage to avert her gaze.

Ignis smiled, she felt his fingers grip her shoulders a little tighter, his thumbs began brushing her skin with affection. “Of course I do. I may be a jerk, but I do not lie.”

___ laughed and managed to lift her head so he could see her face, but she stared directly at his chest. “Alright… I’ll stay.”

Ignis took his hands from her shoulders and sighed with relief. “Excellent.”

As soon as his touch left her, she yearned for it to return. She wanted to make sure the topic didn’t change in the chance that he’ll reach out to her once more. “I really missed traveling with you guys, you know.” ___ said as she kicked a rock idly with her feet.

“The others were devastated when you left. They really missed you.”

She felt her heart tug, she panicked hearing him leave himself out of the subject of his last sentence. However, ___ thought about the woman she wanted to be, confident and self-assured. That woman was inside of her, she just needed to let her out. She stood up tall and looked Ignis in the eyes. With a playful smirk she asked, “Did  _you_  miss me?”

Ignis was startled at her sudden change in temperament, though it did not shock him. She had a tendency to battle with herself in moments of vulnerability, but she always let her true self shine when it mattered the most. He stared at her smirking lips, let his eyes quickly look over her body that she had clearly been training while in Lestallum. He recalled the fantasy he had concocted of him tearing off her clothes and letting his hands wander over her skin, imagining the sound of her breath heavy with longing for him. He blinked slowly, lowered his chin and locked his lidded eyes with hers. His lip curled ever so slightly when he replied to her, “[Yes, I did.](https://atarostarling.tumblr.com/post/161184181059/chocobro-hijinks-chocobro-daydreams-i-beg-your)”

The electricity between them sparked as the zipper of the tent made them jump and step away from each other. Gladio emerged and looked at the two of them standing awkwardly; Ignis pretended to be doing something fascinating with his mug of Ebony and ___ started idly moving her tent poles around for no apparent reason.  

Gladio couldn’t help but beam. He knew this was his doing. “Mornin’. What were you guys talking about?”

___ couldn’t help but return his infectious smile. “I’ve decided to take you all up on the offer to assist me for the beginning of my pilgrimage.”

Gladio made a fist in celebration. “Alright! That’s what I like to hear! Guys, wake up, ___’s coming with us!”

[End of Part IX]


	10. The Draconian

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you would like to support me in writing this fic, I’d be seriously over the moon if you bought me a coffee on my ko-fi page: https://ko-fi.com/atarostarling  
> Please do not feel obligated!!

The five of them found themselves camping again, only this time it was at a safe haven close to the peak of The Rock of Ravatogh. When ___ had told them her first temple was in an active volcano they thought she was joking, but it turned out she was not lying. The morning that they were to begin their journey, Noctis was in an unusually good mood and had asked Ignis if he could drive. Due to their limited amount of sleep, Prompto and Noctis were deliriously chatting away in the front seat; Gladio and ___ had fallen asleep, leaving Ignis alone to listen to his younger companions drivel on about high school crushes, their antics in Insomnia and of course, King’s Knight. Distracted, Noctis had missed the turn to The Rock of Ravatogh and caused a sizable delay in reaching their destination. On their hike up the volcano they were presented with a choice of two paths; one leading to the summit with a safe haven, the other would lead them to the entrance of the temple. ___ decided to get a full night of sleep before her visit, so they made their way to camp earlier in the evening than usual.

___ resumed her position at Ignis’ cooking table with a broad smile on her face ready for instruction. He couldn’t hide his own smile as he passed her various ingredients to prepare. They didn’t say a word, but they shared a quiet appreciation of being united for this ritual once again. After the meal Prompto and Ignis cleared away the dishes, Noctis began updating ___ on his progress in King’s Knight before Gladio physically pulled her away to spar with him. Despite her improved fitness her technique was rusty due to not having a training partner during her time in Lestallum, which she complained about frequently during their session, so he made an extra effort to torture her. While Gladio was giving her drills to perform, Prompto took the moment to show Ignis one of the photographs he captured during the day. Ignis was used to Prompto proudly displaying his photography, so he took the camera out of his hands and observed the preview screen.

The picture was taken on their journey to the The Rock of Ravatogh. Ignis recalled the moment when Gladio and ___ had fallen into a deep sleep. Gladiolus had sprawled out and in his slumber nudged ___ so that she rolled over onto Ignis. The photograph was of ___ sleeping soundly on him, her head nuzzled into his chest and her arm draped around him. Ignis studied himself in the image, noticing how he was looking down at her, a soft smile on his lips; a general look of adoration on his face that he didn’t remember displaying, but Prompto managed to capture it. He noticed that he had instinctively held onto the arm that was wrapped around him, trying his best to keep her in place without disturbing her. Ignis blushed as he remembered failing to inform Noctis that he taken the wrong turn, knowing selfishly he didn’t want ___ to stir and end the experience. The moment was inevitably ruined when Noctis himself realised his mistake and performed a sudden u-turn that threw ___ off him and out of her sleep. Ignis studied Prompto’s face as he held onto his camera, a pleading look in his eyes to ask that he not make this picture become public knowledge. Prompto gave him a small smile and a nod, which Ignis took as his promise to secrecy and handed him back the camera.

* * *

When the sun began to set, they all made their way around the fire that had been lit. ___ was quieter than usual, she stared at the view from the campsite lost in thought. It was Gladiolus who brought her back to reality. “So, ___. What can we expect of this temple tomorrow? Some information would be nice to know so there are no surprises.”

___ looked at him with a serious expression on her face. She turned her body away from the view of Eos and sat square in her seat. “Before I tell you that, it’s time I told you about who I am…Where I came from. I think I owe you that much.” The boys remained silent, they thought they might never find out about where she came from. Worried that by uttering a sound she would become startled and change her mind, they waited for her to speak. “Unless… you guys don’t want to know?” ___ asked sincerely, observing their surprised faces.

“We’re happy to hear anything you want to tell us. However, please don’t feel any pressure to do so.” Ignis said diplomatically. 

“Iggy’s right, you can keep things vague if it makes you uncomfortable talking about it.” Agreed Gladiolus.

“No…it’s ok. I need to do this. For myself more than anything.” Responded ___.

“Take your time.” Prompto said and reached out to tap her arm reassuringly.

“I’m…” ___ began. The words wouldn’t fall from her mouth, she inhaled and exhaled sharply to coax them from their hiding place, Ignis noticed her hands were trembling as she played with her fingers. “I’m a Draconian.”

They stared at her for a moment, not knowing what to say. Noctis broke the silence. “Did you hit your head when you slid down that rock wall earlier?”

“What? No!”

“___…do you genuinely think you’re an Astral?” Gladio asked, his tone dripping with concern for her mental state.

“You guys are the worst. Do you know that?”  said ___ flustered, but she realised all traces of her nerves were gone. “I guess I need to go way back to make sure what I’m saying makes sense to you all.”

“Go ahead.” Ignis said.

“Ok. After Ifrit’s betrayal, Bahamut gifted the Fleuret’s the Trident to commune with the Astrals, and the Caelum’s the ring and the crystal so they could protect Eos.”

“So we’re going waaaay back.” Noctis said, tilting his head to the side to rile ___ up.

“Yes, Your Highness, we’re going  _waaaay_ back.”

“Ok, I’m sorry. I’m done. Continue.”

“What you all might not know is that Bahamut gave a third family a gift, he gave a family known as the Tueri’s a lance.”

“Tueri’s? I’ve never heard that name.” Gladio said skeptically.

“I’ll get to that soon, just…hush, you guys! It’ll all make sense…probably.” ___ said looking around at them. She expected them to make fun of her, but they waited for her to continue respectfully, so she went on with her story. “History tells us of the Trident, the ring of Lucii and the Crystal, but one of the King’s of Lucis was guarded by a legendary Knight, Richard Tueri. He worshiped the King and thought of him like a brother, he swore to do everything in his power to protect him. So, he went on a pilgrimage to seek counsel with the Messengers.”

“Messengers?” Asked Noctis.

“The Astrals do not dwell in this realm, but they have disciples who live among us. Not as mortals, some might say even they are Gods too, so we call them the Messengers.”

“How many are there?” Inquired Prompto.

“I don’t know. I do know that Bahamut has two disciples, or Messengers, that Richard Tueri sought to find. He wanted them to teach him everything about how to become a great warrior, just like Bahamut himself. They agreed after seeing his potential, and they gave him the means to commune directly with Bahamut.”

“I thought the Oracle was the only one who could do that?” Noctis asked, leaning forward on his chair.

“That is true, but the Oracle has never been able to communicate with Bahamut. It is only through proving oneself worthy to his Messengers that gives a mortal the right to commune with The Draconian.”

“Alright…I think I’m following. What happened next?” Prompto said, looking at ___ expectedly. She smiled at his enthusiasm and continued.

“Richard Tueri was able to train under Bahamut’s tutelage and by the end of his training he had learned how to channel a fraction of the Astral’s power. Once Bahamut deemed his training complete, he blessed the Tueri bloodline and named him the Dragon Knight – a powerful warrior who was chosen by The Draconian to protect the King, the Oracle and the people of Eos.

“When Richard returned to the King he began to do what any soldier would do – he built an army. He hand-picked and trained an elite force in the ways of The Draconian. Their lives were enriched with the knowledge he bestowed on them, so much so that these soldiers began spreading the word to their families and friends. People began to live their lives following the teachings of Bahamut directly, since the underlying theme resonated within them so powerfully: to protect the innocent and cause no burden unto others.

“When Richard Tueri passed away the title of the Dragon Knight was passed down to his son, who he had trained from a young age. Only one can wield Bahamut’s lance after all, and so began the Tueri lineage of Dragon Knights.”

“How come we’ve never heard about this until now?” Ignis asked.

“The Tueri’s would eventually be betrayed by a King of Lucis who banished them from Insomnia. The King was jealous of the command the Dragon Knight had over the people. The following the Dragon Knight received within the kingdom had grown in numbers over the years. They would eventually be known as ‘The Draconian’s’, due to their devotion to Bahamut. The Dragon Knight’s main priority was always to protect the King, but even knowing this the jealousy drove the King into a rage. He believed the Dragon Knight was creating an army purely to overthrow the throne. When confronted, the King’s rage exploded and he banished the Tueri’s and all Draconian’s from the kingdom. Ashamed and humiliated, feeling like they had failed at their mission of causing no burden unto others, The Draconian’s left and created their own kingdom in secret.

“All records of the Tueri’s were destroyed, the name became a rumor, then a myth, before disappearing altogether. The result of their banishment caused The Draconian’s to become cautious. The Tueri’s didn’t want to stop anyone from following the teachings, but they thought that if the teachings became public knowledge people would begin to misinterpret their intentions. A Draconian is free to leave the kingdom in pursuit of another life, some would find love in the outside world and then be drawn back to life among the Draconian’s. That is how we’ve been able to survive all these years and not die out, though our numbers are few. Still, many believed that perhaps the inner circle of the Lucian household would know about The Draconian’s and would slaughter us if they had the chance. The theory was that the King who banished us would have warned his children of the danger the Draconian’s posed and the fear of them would pass down through the generations…but I guess we really were erased from history after all…It was probably just a fairy tale to keep us quiet, now that I’m thinking about it.”

They all sat and contemplated ___’s story. Gladiolus voice cut through the silence. “Let me get this straight. You’re part of a group of people who were banished from Insomnia centuries ago? So, what brings you here? Why are you on this pilgrimage? Where’s the current Dragon Knight now?”

___ stared into the fire for a moment before looking up at Gladio. “I…I am ___ Tueri. My father, Kain Tueri, the last Dragon Knight, was slain by the Niflheim Empire before he could complete my eldest brothers training. The Draconian’s are now scattered all over the world, hiding…they’re waiting for the next Dragon Knight to appear and reunite them.”

Ignis stared at ___ intently. Her story seemed insane, preposterous, ludicrous…but…he found himself believing her. It all made sense to him. Her martial art abilities, her aptitude with weapons, the regal traditions she held, why she looked like her heart was broken when she thought no one was looking. Everything.

“So, is that why you didn’t hold Noctis’ sword that day, you couldn’t hold a blade from a King of a family that had banished your ancestors?” Inquired Gladio.

___ nodded somberly.

“And that’s why when you curse you say ‘God’ instead of ‘Gods’? Because you worship only one of the Six?” Prompto asked.

___ smiled slightly, surprised he had noticed her colloquialism and nodded again.

“If it’s your brother who’s the next Dragon Knight, then why are you here?” Gladio asked, rubbing his facial hair.

“He was killed trying to protect my father.” Whispered ___. “I…I am the only remaining Tueri. I am to become the next Dragon Knight.”  The men shifted in their seats at the news, unsure of what to say. ___ continued, “When a Dragon Knight is unable to pass on the training to an heir, the lance is taken by a Messenger back to the temple to wait for the rightful heir to retrieve it. That’s where I’ll be heading tomorrow.”

For a while they all sat listening to the fire crackling. ___ wanted to ask them what they were thinking, how they felt, do they believe her, but she knew they were probably trying to digest all the information so she allowed them a moment of silence in order to do so. Eventually, Ignis spoke.

“How come after all these years that we’ve suffered at the hands of the Empire, the Dragon Knight hasn’t aided the crown? Surely the fear of being accused of an army that will overtake the throne wouldn’t outweigh the need for Lucia to be protected after all this time?”

___ stood up and added more wood to the fire. “That, I can’t answer. Not because I don’t want to, but because I don’t know. I always felt like it didn’t make sense why we hid from the world. My father was hoping to put an end to this stupid, ancient feud between the Caelum’s and the Tueri’s; but then they found us. I didn’t know anyone knew we existed, we’ve lived in secrecy for generations, nor do I know why they would want to burn my home to the ground.”

Noctis stared at her, he wanted to say something to her, to apologize for his ancestor, but what good would that do? She remained looming over the fire, staring into the flames as she spoke.

“I can’t ignore Niflheim any longer…the Empire found us, they…they killed my father…they killed my mother…my brothers. I don’t know how…I don’t know why…but when I fled my home I thought the Empire had won. When you all found me, I had given up hope that I could do anything. How was I going to walk in the footsteps of my ancestors with no guidance? I wasn’t even the direct heir to become the Dragon Knight, I was third in line. I received some training, sure, but my eldest brother was to take over. How was I going to live up to that title? Being with you all made me forget about my past, who I was. I didn’t expect in a million years I’d end up bumping into the heir to the throne of Lucis of all people, but I felt like it was for a reason. It had to be, right? Still…I was so scared that if you knew about the Draconian’s and you found out I was not only one of them, but a Tueri, that you would reject me and I would lose a friendship that I so desperately needed. I…I couldn’t risk that. Being with you was the only thing keeping me going after I lost everything.”

___ voice broke abruptly and tears streamed down her face. They were shocked at her sudden display of grief. Ignis leapt from his chair and pulled ___ into an embrace. She released a guttural sob into his chest as he shushed her soothingly and stroked her hair. Gladiolus left his seat and made his way over to where she cried unashamedly into Ignis, standing close to her while running his hand up and down her back as it heaved. Prompto followed suit and stood on her other side and placed a hand on her shoulder, rubbing his thumb gently on her skin.

“We won’t abandon you, ___.” Prompto said quietly.

Soon, her cries became softer, before long they were just a whimper. She brought her hands to her face and rubbed away the moisture, trying her best not to let anyone see her face in its current state. Noctis stood waiting for the crowd to disperse, then walked over to where she stood red eyed and puffy faced.

“The Empire took everything we had, why don’t we do what our Father’s never got the chance to do…Let’s unite.” He held his hand out in front of him and she looked at it. She wiped her right hand on her clothes and they all laughed a little at the sight, then she took Noctis’ hand and shook it. He suddenly pulled her forward and held her for tightly. She stood against him rigid at first, then relaxed when he whispered in her ear, “We’ll destroy them together, as comrades.” She nodded on his shoulder.

“Together.” ___ said and smiled. Noctis pulled away from her and held her at arms length, then placed his palm on her face and shoved her away just as she had done to him in Lestallum. She laughed and went to tackle him. As they playfully fought the others chuckled at their display and sat back down. Eventually Noctis held up his hands in surrender and ___ returned to her seat smiling once more. “You guys…you don’t think I’m crazy?” She continued after she sat down.

“Well, yeah, of course we do. But that was before you told us you were some Dragon lady.” Gladiolus quipped. ___ laughed a little, but Ignis could see she was still concerned.

“This is a lot to take in, but I think I can speak on behalf of everyone here when I say we believe you. It seems to me like you were destined to be here with us.” Ignis said. ___ looked at him with relief and glanced around at the other men who all looked at her reassuringly.

“Thank you. I mean it. Thank you.”

“I guess once you complete your training you’ll be kind of part of the Crownsguard squad.” Gladio mused aloud.

“Only if I let her in.” Noctis joked.

“Hey! Maybe I don’t want to protect you!”

“ _Could_  you protect me though? I seem to remember whooping your ass when we sparred that one time.”

“I got distracted, so it doesn’t count. Plus, I was not fighting at my full potential.” Retorted ___, sticking her tongue out at Noctis.

“Hey, wait a minute!” Interrupted Prompto. “If ___’s a Tueri does that mean she’s like…royalty? Am I the only pleb here?!” Prompto called out in anguish.

“Come on, Prompto, that’s obvious. You can tell she is royalty by just looking at her.” Ignis said and took a sip from his coffee mug. The rest of the camp stared at him in disbelief.

“Did you…did you just flirt with me, Ignis?” ___ said, eyes wide.

“Yes, I believe I did.” He replied as if nothing was amiss.

“Woah-ho-ho, Iggy! You smooth operator!” Gladio said; he couldn’t contain his excited laugh.

“Looks like you finally wore Specs down, ___. Maybe in 5 years time you’ll manage to get a date out of him.” Noctis said.

“Noct, don’t be so utterly ridiculous.” Ignis snapped and walked over to the kitchen area to clean up his mug. The rest of them eyeballed each other and pursed their lips to mock his outburst. Even ___ couldn’t help but find his reaction amusing. However, Ignis looked over his shoulder and said “I’d say it would take 2 years.”

___’s jaw dropped, Noctis, Gladio and Prompto didn’t know who to look at, their heads swung around frantically. “W-w-what did you…did you just say…what just happened…WHAT’S GOING ON?!” Stuttered ___ breathlessly.

Gladio laughed loudly. “Looks like you broke her, Iggy.”

Ignis finished drying his mug and turned to face them. “Observe, as I silence her altogether, gentlemen.” He walked over to ___, who started mumbling incoherently at the sight of him approaching her. He gently took her chin in his hand and tilted her head upward. “I change my answer to 1 year.” Ignis said, then leaned in and planted a soft kiss on her forehead. “Goodnight, ___.” He made his way over to the tent and zipped the door closed.

Gladio, Noctis and Prompto laughed hysterically at ___’s stunned face until she finally stood up and retreated into her own tent, her hand hovering over the spot where he kissed her, still wearing an expression of shock and awe.

[End of Part X]


	11. Rakuyo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is NSFW

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you would like to support me in writing this fic, I’d be seriously over the moon if you bought me a coffee on my ko-fi page: https://ko-fi.com/atarostarling  
> Please do not feel obligated!!

The Lucian’s, including Noctis, woke up bright and early in preparation to escort ___ to the temple. However, she was still cooped up in her tent, rummaging around. When Gladio had asked her what she was doing, she stated she was “getting ready”. They exchanged bewildered looks; she usually didn’t take this long to put on clothes. Straining their ears to hear what was going on in her tent they heard a lot of obscene words being mumbled under her breath as they saw limbs protruding from the tent walls. When the commotion died down, they looked at the door to her tent, expecting it to finally open. Instead they heard her voice.

“Guys…” ___ said in a child-like tone.

“What’s wrong, ___?” Gladiolus replied, amused.

“Promise me you won’t make fun of me…”

“Why would we make fun of you?” Noctis responded.

“I’m wearing traditional Tueri clothing, it’s a bit…much…but…” ___ said nervously.

“Would you get your ass out here already?” Gladio said, faking an annoyed tone but smiling at his friends.

“…Fine.”

The tent door unzipped annoyingly slowly. Once it was completely open, ___ paused for a moment, hiding next to the opening, then finally plucked up the courage to emerge. By her behavior, they were expecting her to be wearing a Kenny Crow costume, so they were all taken back by her image. Ignis, who in a rare moment was looking at his phone to pass the time, glanced up and tried to disguise his sudden inhalation. All the oxygen in the world had suddenly vanished when he gazed upon her.

___ stood before them wearing a regally detailed black and gold corseted top. It hugged in at her waist before it spilled out to create an overhang over her hips, from which a simple flowing skirt hung, a waterfall of elegance and practicality. Down the torso were two rows of three golden buttons, above them lapels folded out from the center of her chest, heading up to the epaulettes on her shoulders that were decorated with small spikes. As she turned around to close her tent door, Ignis could see why it was taking her so long to adorn it – the back of the garment was held together in a crisscross string design amidst a flourish of lace that looked like two ornate golden dragons emerging from her spine. The knee-high boots she wore were also adorned with the same embroidered detail and laced up at the front, but the blade attached to her heel made them look deadly. The headband she wore in her hair gave the illusion of two small dragon wings running parallel with her head, with the same black and gold color scheme as the rest of her outfit. She turned to them and sighed.

“Alright, get it over with.” ___ said.

“Get what over with?” Gladio asked.

“You’re gonna make fun of me, right?”

“Actually, ___, you look like a total badass in that outfit.” Noctis said, a hand on his hip and his head nodding in approval. A smile broke out on her face.

“You think so?”

“Oooh yeah…” Prompto said flirtatiously and began taking a dozen pictures of her. ___ met Ignis’ eyes.

“What do you think, Scientia?”

“You look…breathtaking.”

___ tried her best to hide her now blushing cheeks by pretending to fix the position of the lapels.

“Alright, alright; you look great, kid. Now let’s get this show on the road, shall we?” said Gladio.

* * *

They all stood sweating at the peak of the volcano, looking at an entrance to a cave; the rock formation surround it looked like twisting fingers reaching towards the sky. Lava spewed from the entrance, falling into a chasm below. ___ turned to address the men. “Alright, there’s nothing to forbid you from entering with me, but there is one rule and one rule alone you have to obey. Do not, under any circumstances, not even if it looks like I’m dead, interrupt the ceremony. I will immediately be banished from the temple and my pilgrimage will end. Understood?” ___ said seriously.

“Got it.” Replied Noctis, who was wafting his t-shirt trying to get air underneath.

“Are you about to put yourself in harms way, ___?” Ignis asked concerned, now rolling up his sleeves and unbuttoning one more button on his grey pinstripe shirt.

“I’m about to commune with a Messenger, so I will be tested. That’s all I know.”

“How are we supposed to get in there?” Gladio said, pointing to the cave. He had no qualms with removing his vest and revealing his perfectly sculpted body.

“I’ll take care of that.” ___ replied and turned to the entrance. She bent down on one knee and began to speak a foreign dialect. As the Royal Adviser it was imperative for Ignis to be fluent in multiple languages, but the words ___ was speaking conjured no definition in his head. The lava flow stopped, then began snaking its way towards them to create a bridge over the cavern. They felt the heat in the air subside drastically, as if the lava ceased to be. ___ took a step forward onto the lava; they all gasped and reached out expecting her foot to melt, only to be shocked when her foot hit solid ground. She turned to look at them. “It’s safe, come on.” ___ said, her nerves clearly rising, before proceeding into the cave. Gladio strode forward and confidently followed her, Ignis followed suit. Noctis and Prompto had trouble divorcing the idea that the pathway wouldn’t suddenly turn back into lava, so for their first few steps they had one hand clinging to each other, while the other was extended out ready to balance themselves should they fall. When they saw how far behind they were becoming, they snapped out of their fear and ran to catch up with the rest.

The lava bridge led them deep into the cave where it ended, but then began a spiral staircase carved from the volcanic stone leading them down into the depths of the volcano. They descended in silence. When they finally reached the bottom they walked through a passageway into a large chamber. They stood on a ledge looking around the cavern in awe. Below them was a circular platform, which was surrounded by fire. Along the walls were a number of stone carvings of what Ignis deducted to be previous Dragon Knights. Opposite where they stood was an imposing carving of Bahamut, his arms folded, his eyes were two orbs of fire. A staircase connected the ledge to the circular platform below. “This is where I head on alone, remember what I said ok? Do not interfere.” ___ said. Though she tried her best to be assertive, they could hear the fear in her voice. 

“Remember, we’re right here if you need to turn back.” Prompto said. She nodded in acknowledgement, and walked down the stairs. With each step she took flames engulfed the path behind her; even if the Insomnian’s wanted to help her they would have to walk through fire to do so. ___ made her way into the center of the cavern, she looked around at the Dragon Knights of old, then noticed her father’s likeness had already made its way into the temple. Though he still held the same intimidating stance as the other statues, she felt like he was watching over her and smiled at the thought. She stopped in the middle and waited for something to happen. Nothing stirred within the fiery depths of the temple, so she decided to address the Messenger. Kneeling down on one knee, she said loudly,

“I am ___ Tueri, daughter of Dragon Knight Kain Tueri, who was slain before the Transcendence could be complete. I am the next in line to receive the blessing of Bahamut. Please…lend me your strength.”

Her words echoed around the chamber, but nothing changed. ___ looked up and around the cavern as if expecting to see something, then slowly began to rise.

“ _[How dare you rise before me, mortal.](http://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DBCDEDi5gDPo&t=YTEwOTZiNDIzZGM1ZTE3M2I4ZGFhNGE2NDI3YzVmMWFlZWEzYWQ3OCxsdDNQb2tVSw%3D%3D&b=t%3AgUSQU04NRu6ISPx-gxdcfw&p=https%3A%2F%2Fatarostarling.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F162012693269%2Fignis-x-reader-the-draconian-part-xi-nsfw&m=0)” _ A voice boomed from all around them, it didn’t have a source, its origins seemed to be from the walls. ___ immediately fell to her knees in penance.

“Forgive me!” ___ yelled over the sound of the flames.

The fire that surrounded the platform erupted, dancing through the stone Dragon Knights. In front of ___ a wall of fire had appeared. After her eyes adjusted, she realised the fire resembled that of a dragon, it’s wings embraced the platform. When the roar of the flame finally subsided, it gathered before ___, then from it formed a humanoid figure.  

___ couldn’t tell if it was male or female, when she had heard its voice in her ears it had sounded like a combination of both genders. The figure looked masculine, particularly since it was bald, but its facial features looked like a beautiful woman. It wore a simple black robe, but the trails of fabric were licked with fire. Its eyes glowed red as it stood over ___ as she remained on her knees.

_“Why should I bestow the Rakuyo to you, mortal?”_

“I…I am the next in line to receive the Rakuyo and follow in my fathers footsteps to become the Dragon Knight.”

“ _Fool!”_ The Messenger reached a hand in front of it and fire burst from its palm and surrounded ___. She screamed in agony, Ignis felt himself step forward but it was Prompto who caught his arm and pulled him back from the edge of the ledge they were stood on. The hand returned to The Messenger’s side, and the fire stopped. ___ was sprawled on the floor, wailing in pain, her skin was covered in boils from the heat. They faded quickly, but this was no mere magic spell, Ignis concluded that the effect of The Messengers fire replicated that of true fire. He realized she was experiencing the pain of being burnt alive, and he could do nothing.

The Messenger continued in its androgynous voice. “ _The Rakuyo can only be wielded by one who deserves its power. The Draconian’s blood might run through your veins, girl, but that does not grant you free passage to obtain my blessing.”_

Though her limbs were shaking uncontrollably, ___ slowly gathered her strength to bring herself up to kneel before The Messenger. It folded its arms before asking once more, “ _Why do you deserve the Rakuyo, foolish mortal?”_

___ said between heaving breaths “I must protect the people of Eos… the heir of the Lucian throne… and the Oracle.”

The Messenger considered her answer for a moment, then threw out its hand to inflict more scorching suffering onto ___’s body. The howling that escaped her lips was enough to bring tears to her friend’s eyes who stood watching her skin darken, blister and bleed under the wrath of The Messenger. They each swore under their breath at the injustice of it all.

When ___ was silently suffering on the ground once more, The Messenger stopped its torture and spoke.

“ _You state a Dragon Knight’s purpose yet you emanate no evidence of power worthy of the title. The fate of the world is doomed if you are all that is left to protect it.”_

Her skin healed slowly this time, but she managed to bring herself to her knee, her body heaving, groaning loudly as she tried to think through the pain. “I WILL protect this world, I…” The Messenger sent her tumbling backwards as it burnt her again.

Ignis watched from the platform, his fists clenched in the fury of this trial. “We must do something.” He said to the others.

“No, Ignis. She fails if we interfere.” Gladiolus responded. Ignis shot Gladio with a look reminiscent of the Messenger itself, but Gladio looked away when he saw his friends eyes were filled with tears. Prompto stood with his hands covering his mouth while Noctis stood with his eyes cast to the ground, his body trembling.

“ _You have failed your ancestors. You are but a mere stain on the line of successors.”_ The Messenger said as it circled around her, waiting for ___ to respond as she lay on the ground weeping in anguish. She had known that the first Dragon Knight had proven his worth, but how? How had he gotten through to this malevolent being? Raising her head to look at the statue of her father, she willed it to come to life and shield her from the pain. The memory of her home being set ablaze flashed in her mind.  _Maybe I deserve to die by fire, just like they did._

“I…I…”

Her fathers final words rang through her head “ _Avenge us. Remember us.”_ The Messenger turned its back on her and began to walk away from her.

_“You are no vessel of Bahamut, you are… **nothing.** ”_

___ released a bellowing cry of anger. She pulled herself to her knees, then continued to rise in defiance against The Messenger. It turned to look at her, red eyes furious at her blasphemous display.

“I’ve had enough of you trying to deter me from my destiny! The Niflheim Empire is sapping the essence of the people of Eos, the people that  _your_  God chose to protect. You mock me as a mere mortal, but Bahamut himself chose me to protect this world and everyone who wants to save it from the Darkness.” ___ placed her hand to her chest. “I AM the Dragon Knight. Once I have taken back the land from Niflheim I will banish the Darkness forever. I need the Rakuyo to fulfill my purpose… if you will not give it to me,  _then I will take it from you!”_ She cried out, her words echoed around the chamber. It seemed to silence the roar of the flames that surrounded them. The Messenger stood motionless.

“ _Very well.”_ With a sweeping gesture and a flash of light, a lance appeared in the air before it The Messenger.

___ took a step back and marveled at it, though her father wielded this lance she never laid eyes on it herself. He never took up arms during his life in seclusion. The legendary lance, named the Rakuyo, was a lance like no other. Though it can just be used as a powerful tool, it could also channel the strength of Bahamut, but in doing so would drain the life force from the blood of the one who wielded it. It was made of a material not of this world, a black stone that seemed to be the epitome of darkness, bordered with gold, covered in an intricate silver pattern that emitted a light. At its apex two protruding blades that looked like the wings of a dragon were the setting for the thick rounded point that formed the formidable spear.  

 _“Prove your worth and the Rakuyo is yours.”_ The Messenger boomed and from the pit that surrounded them fire sprung to life and leaped towards her and enraptured her in flames. ___ stumbled back, but this time she stayed on her feet. She looked towards the Rakuyo, it’s light was her guide and she slowly took one step in its direction. From the ledge the boys were yelling in support, she couldn’t hear their exact words but hearing their voices willed her forward.

With each small step, ___ began to find her power and battled the flames. Ignis noticed how her skin was no longer being burnt, it was if the fire was afraid to touch her. She reached out in front of her, she was agonizingly close to having the Rakuyo in her hands. The Messenger squinted at her and the fire intensified. ___ stumbled down, the Lucian’s cursed as they saw her falter. They each said words of encouragement, even though they knew she wouldn’t be able to hear her. “I believe in you.” Ignis whispered. With a triumphant yell, ___ reached forward and grabbed the Rakuyo. The fire surrounding her swelled up and filled the cavern. The men covered their faces to shield them from its heat; ___ raised the Rakuyo into the air victoriously and cried out.

_“You have proven your worth…___ Tueri.”_

The Messenger morphed into a fiery dragon, outstretching its wings and released an ear-splitting roar. It ascended into the cavern, flying around the walls and through ___’s predecessors, then headed straight toward her. She braced herself with the Rakuyo, but as it approached it diminished in size and flew into her chest and disappeared, then all was silent. ___ panted, her adrenaline still coursing through her. She turned towards her friends, holding the Rakuyo with pride, tears now forming in her eyes. She thrust the weapon in the air and the boys cheered for her loudly from the platform.

* * *

Ignis woke up and looked over to ___’s bed. They had decided that camping wasn’t going to be enough after ___’s trial in the temple and made their way to the nearest motel to sleep in a bed for a change. Though, ___ apparently didn’t share the same sentiment, for Ignis could no longer see her in the room. He got out of bed and put on his glasses, noticing it was almost time for the sun to rise. He put on his trousers and opted to wear his gray t-shirt to find ___. When he left the room, he closed his eyes and tried to listen for any tell tale signs of her whereabouts. Immediately, he heard the sound of a blade striking something and ___’s grunts in a forested area nearby.

When he approached the scene, she was stood twirling the Rakuyo with her eyes closed. The silver patterns seemed to glow a dull light as she spun the weapon, she brought it over her head then held it with both hands and lunged at the tree. The glow faded and she missed the target somehow, as if the lance had tipped her off balance.

“Have you been out here all night?” Inquired Ignis.

___ turned to face him, she became self-conscious of the loose, athletic clothing she was wearing. Her black shorts and white tank top felt like a garbage bag compared to his casual t-shirt and trousers. Somehow, he made all clothing look like the designer would weep tears of joy if they witnessed him modelling their work.

“Yeah…I’m trying to get used to this thing.” She brought the Rakuyo up and planted it in the ground beside her.

“What seems to be the problem? I seem to recall you being quite masterful with a polearm.” Ignis said, folding his arms and leaning on a tree.

“Well, this is the weapon of an Astral. It requires a certain focus to wield, it would seem. If I meditate I can feel its power, I can feel it trying to reach out to me, but then when I try and strike with it I lose the sensation and it throws me completely off course.”

“I’m not sure I entirely understand.”

“Want to try it and see what I mean?”

Ignis contemplated for a moment. “Alright.” He stepped up and she offered the Rakuyo to him, he took it and felt its majesty immediately. It was perfectly balanced, the blades looked sharp enough to cut the air. Ignis couldn’t understand what she was having trouble with, it felt like an extension of himself.

“Feels good, right? Now try and strike that tree.”

He walked over to the tree and moved to pierce it with the Rakuyo’s deadly point. Mid trajectory, the Rakuyo shifted in his grip and swung him off target. A deep pit formed in his stomach, a sense of shame and guilt washed over him. It was if the Rakuyo was scolding him for being unworthy.  _Did this lance just influence my emotions?_ He gained his balance and turned to face ___, who was smiling at his effort.

“It would seem like the Rakuyo has a soul of its very own.” Concluded Ignis as he held the weapon out in front of him for ___ to take back.

“Exactly, and that soul is throwing one hell of a hissy fit at me right now.” ___ took the weapon back. Ignis felt an alien longing to hold it once again as soon as it left his fingertips.

“I am sure it will just require practice. Don’t get discouraged, it’s your first night with it in your possession.”

With a burst of white light, she dismissed the weapon with the same capability as Noctis. Ignis was taken back, she had carried the weapon all the way to the motel, marveling that it was in her possession. He didn’t realise she could channel the power of the crystal like Noctis. ___ saw the look of confusion on Ignis’s face. “I’m not using the power of the crystal if that’s what you think, it’s the power of the Messenger.”

“Fascinating.”

___ smiled at his reaction. “Did you need me for something?”

“No, I just noticed you weren’t in the room and wondered if you were ok. I can’t imagine how difficult the trial must have been on you, mentally and physically.” Ignis looked at her with concern, remembering her blistering skin and the sounds of her wails ringing in his mind.

“That’s one way of putting it. Another way would be saying it fucking hurt.” ___ said, smiling cheekily.

Ignis smiled softly. “Regardless. I’m sorry you had to go through that, ___. No matter how great the outcome.” Ignis approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

Perhaps it was the lack of sleep that made her feel so bold, but before she could decide against it she asked him, “What’s going on with us, Ignis?”

He slowly withdrew his hand and contemplated her, the intensity of his emerald eyes on her face made her immediately regret what she just said. The invisible pane of glass that was separating them shattered with her simple question, even if she could scramble to put together the pieces somehow, it would never be the same again. “I’m not sure how to answer that.” He whispered, looking away.

“I’m not imagining things though, am I? There is  _something_ here, right?” Asked ___. Ignis remained silent, avoiding her gaze as she tried to position herself so might look her in the eyes. “Look, Ignis…I know your duties must weigh heavily on your shoulders, trust me when I say that I understand that.” Ignis finally glanced up at her.  _Her entire kingdom destroyed, her family slaughtered, yet she still carries the torch of her lineage and finds the time to care about what I feel…_ thought Ignis. ___ continued, “But in times like these it’s good to allow yourself a moment where you can just…let go.” ___ said. 

Ignis was no stranger to the calls of temptation, throughout his career he had been close to giving it all up and walking away from his role as Royal Adviser. Despite the rumors that circulated around the palace grounds, he was not an unfeeling android devoid of desires. In fact, his soul burned with passion; he had just learned to channel it into his duties. Yet, here ___ was, testing him, asking him to re-calibrate his system that he had spent years perfecting. Looking at her gazing at him with concerned eyes, like she might lose him forever, sent a shiver down his spine. Even though he had seen her in the traditional clothing of her family only hours before, her grimy training clothes still made her look simply delectable.  _I can allow myself just one moment of weakness, the world will not burst into flames if I give in to my desires, surely? However, I don’t want to travel down a path that might hurt her if my duties to Noctis get in the way…_ Ignis thought, before looking up at ___, his mind made up.

“I’m… concerned about allowing myself to let go, I’m afraid.”

___ body deflated, she had been waiting so patiently for him to think things through, she knew that he was probably going to reject her, but it still felt like a dagger in the heart. Knowing she wouldn’t be able to stop thinking about this exchange unless she found out the truth, she croaked, “Why?”

Ignis reached forward and grabbed her by the waist, pulling her so she was pressed up against him. He leaned forward so his lips were almost touching hers. Dropping his voice an octave, he uttered, “Because I don’t think you could handle it if I did.”

___’s heart pounded in her chest. Her sadness quickly being replaced with shock.  _Is this really happening right now?_ ___ thought, but then she heard Sammy’s advice in her mind, telling her to be confident.  _But do you SEE this man, Sammy?! “_ That’s no excuse, ___!” Sammy’s voice replied to her in her head.

“Why don’t you let me be the judge of that?” ___ whispered, barely audibly.

Ignis ghosted his lips over her cheeks then moved over her neck, he let out a sigh and she shivered, letting out a pleading gasp as she felt the warmth of his breath on her skin. In a swift movement his hands were on her shoulders and he pushed her back against a tree. His left forearm planted flat on the tree stump over her head, his face hanging over hers, ___ noticed a hunger in his eyes she had never witnessed in anyone before. Using his right hand, he gently brushed the back of his fingers against her side.  _I’m in trouble now._ Thought ___, she didn’t know how to react, the intensity of his eyes carefully studying her face as she felt his touch. His fingers found their way underneath her tank top and she felt the leather of his gloves caress her skin. Her breath became heavy and labored.

“Oh, kitten.” Ignis purred, “This is not even the  _beginning_  of what I want to do to you.” He brought his hand to her chin and tilted her head upwards. Painstakingly slowly, he closed the gap between them and planted the softest of kisses on her lips. He lingered for a while, allowing her to focus on the feel of his skin, before he pulled away. ___ immediately moved to meet his mouth again, but Ignis withdrew, his lips curled into a devilish smirk witnessing her desperation for him. He left her against the tree stump, her chest heaving with lust, a wild confusion in her eyes as she watched him turn and walk away from her.

When he was almost out of earshot, ___ called out, “Ignis…”

As if her words shot a bullet of passion through his heart, he turned on his heels and stormed towards her. Witnessing the fire in his eyes, ___ felt her legs move as she made her way to meet him. When he got close he cupped her head in his hands and pulled her in for an explosive kiss. Her mouth immediately opened to let in his tongue as it massaged her own. His hands moved down to her waist, then wandered down to grip her ass as ___ wrapped her arms around his neck and locked him in her embrace, her fingers intertwined in his hair. 

She moved her hands down to his chest, then with a gentle push she broke away from the kiss, whispering “Two can play at that game, Scientia.” Ignis felt a deep longing for her as he revealed a huge grin, she began placing light kisses on his beautiful smile, giggling softly at his reaction to using his tactic against him.  She moved her body closer to him, feeling his erection begin to grow. Her hand made its way down to feel him, she simply placed her hand over him and he let out the most heavenly groan she had ever heard.

“Are you guys over here?”

It was Gladio, he was out looking for them. Their embrace was ripped apart. ___ smoothed out her hair that had gotten tangled when she was pinned against the tree stump, while Ignis turned away from her and made adjustments so that his bulge was not on show. “Uhh…y-yeah. Over here, Gladio.” ___ called out, annoyed. He emerged from the thicket, looking at their flushed faces.

“Uhh…what were you guys doing out here?”

In unison they replied, “Sparring.”

“Huh…” 

“I had best start preparing breakfast for us all.” Ignis said and walked past Gladiolus with haste.

“Sure thing, Iggy.”

“I… had better shower.” ___ said and followed in Ignis’s footsteps.

Gladiolus found himself stood alone, piecing the information together. “Like hell they were sparring…”

[End of Part XI]


	12. Long Distance Lust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is NSFW

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you would like to support me in writing this fic, I’d be seriously over the moon if you bought me a coffee on my ko-fi page: https://ko-fi.com/atarostarling  
> Please do not feel obligated!!

___’s eyes slowly opened, her body feeling heavy from the physical exertion of the trial. She closed her eyes again, her eyelids heavy, hoping to perhaps sleep a little more, but the sounds of laughter from the adjacent room stirred her. Realizing she was alone in the room, she began to gather her thoughts. Suddenly her heart pounded, spreading heat throughout her chest as she remembered Ignis pinning her against a tree, how his erection felt against her palm as she placed a hand over his groin. The memory was beginning to blur upon increased contemplation.  _That didn’t happen…did it?_ She thought to herself.  _I was so exhausted…maybe it was just a dream. There’s no way Ignis would have been so bold. Ah, but what a sweet dream it was._

With a sigh she got up and began to get dressed. When she was ready to join the others, she peeked through the door and saw her friends sat around a table playing cards. She could see Ignis, looking at his cards, rearranging his hand. Prompto placed down a card, then when Noctis placed his card on top of the pile Prompto collapsed onto the table in defeat. ___ then saw Ignis’s gorgeous smile, it lit a fire in her, but a wave of panic spread over her body.  _It felt so real though…_   _Did he really kiss me?_ She opened the door and greeted them as normal.

They all turned to look up at her.

“Oh hey! You’re awake! We wanted to let you rest. Sorry if we were loud!” Prompto said, already recovered from his defeat.

“No, you’re fine, I shouldn’t sleep all day anyway. I’m surprised you guys are still here though.” Replied ___.

“What do you mean? Did you think we would just leave you?” Noctis asked.

“Well…yeah, I guess? You escorted me to the temple so now you’re free men!” ___ said as she walked over to the kitchenette to make herself tea.

“Don’t be stupid, Tueri.” Gladio said. “We’re not just your hired help. We’re a team.”

“A team, huh?”

“Absolutely. So cut the self-depreciating crap.” Confirmed Gladiolus.

“Alright, alright. My bad. You guys were amazing, thank you all so much for yesterday.”

“Anytime.” Noctis said with a small smile.

“I hate to break up the team, but I had better be heading on my way soon.” ___ said, steeping her tea bag in her mug and joining them at the table. She sat between Noctis and Prompto. 

“Wait, you’re really going to leave us then?” Noctis said.

“Where is your next destination, ___?” Ignis asked. He spoke to her normally, as if nothing was amiss between them. She glanced at him, trying to read his expression, which she couldn’t decipher.  _Same as usual, then,_ thought ___.  _Definitely imagined this morning._

“Around the Malacchi Hills area.”

“I see. That’s not in our direction, I’m afraid, Noct.” Ignis said.

“Why are you going there, anyway?” Gladio asked.

“I might be the last Tueri, but there are other Draconian families who survived the attack. One family are like the scholars of our people. I bet I can get some advice from them about handling the Rakuyo, as well as the whereabouts of the next temple.” Explained ___, taking a sip from her mug.

“That makes sense.” Prompto said, a sad smile on his face.

“Guys, this isn’t the end, ok? How about I meet back up with you as soon as I’m done and then we can regroup? Are you still planning on going to Altissia?”

A solemn silence fell over the group. Ignis spoke, “Our journey to Altissia was to meet with Lady Lunafreya, however…since the attack on Insomnia we’ve not heard any concrete reports on her status. There were rumors she was in Insomnia when it fell…” Noctis’ fists tightened. Ignis cast his eyes down and continued, “Until we know for sure, we had better stick to our plan of equipping Noctis with the Royal Arms.”

___ placed a hand on Noctis’s back. “I’m sure she’s fine, she’s probably just laying low.” She said. Noctis nodded, loosening his fists slightly. “As long as you don’t leave the country, then I’d be happy to meet with you guys again. Please, let me help in any way I can as long as it won’t interfere drastically with my pilgrimage.”

“Deal.” Gladio said. Everyone nodded in agreement.

“We should all get your phone number so we can keep in touch!” Prompto said, waving his phone around for emphasis.

* * *

___ and the Lucian’s stood outside the motel, making small talk before saying their farewell’s.

“Right, I had better get going. You guys take care of yourselves, ok?” ___ said.

“You too, ___. We’ll see you soon, though, right?” Noctis asked.

“Absolutely!” She replied with a smile. To her surprise, Noctis moved in close and gave her a warm hug, which she returned. Prompto stepped in immediately after Noctis moved away and ___ laughed at his enthusiasm. “I’ll text you some pictures!”

“I’d love that, P.”

Prompto gave her an extra squeeze and then bounced away, joining Noctis as they headed to the Regalia. Gladio made his way over to ___ and gave her a gentle hug. “Stay safe.”

“I will. You too.”

“Oh, you know me.” Gladio said, then went to join Noctis and Prompto in the Regalia.

Ignis approached ___ slowly. He placed his hands on her shoulders. “Should you need anything, you know you can call us any time.” He said. ___ smiled, though she felt the sting of disappointment at his generic farewell. It was the final nail in the coffin convincing her that they really didn’t share such an explosive moment of passion just hours earlier. She nodded and moved in to hug him. He held her tenderly, a hand rubbing her back. 

When she tried to move away, he held her close to him and leaned so his lips were next to her ear. He lowered his voice and said, “Oh…and don’t think for  _one second_  that I’m done with you, kitten.” A shock wave of electricity jolted through her body, paralyzing her where she stood. He pulled away, looking at her with a seductive smile, then gave an indiscreet wink and walked away. She remained in her place long after the Regalia drove away, the realization dawning on her that her relationship with Ignis just got far more interesting.

* * *

Later that night, while ___ was camping with her trusty chocobo, she felt her phone vibrate. Before she pulled it from her pocket, she felt her chest tighten in anticipation, hoping to see Ignis’s name on her screen. When she saw her wish had come true, she squealed unashamedly into the night and her chocobo warked along with her.

 **Ignis:**   _I hope you have found suitable accommodation this evening? We find ourselves in another motel, I’m afraid breaking our camping streak has given the Prince ideas…_  

___ bit her lip, contemplating taking a picture of herself and sending it to him. “What the hell.” She mused out loud and took a picture of herself with her chocobo, who was surprisingly enthusiastic about having her picture taken. She uploaded the picture to the message, hesitated for a moment, then sent the picture and threw the phone to the ground pretending like nothing had happened. She stared at the fire, trying to think of something to distract her, but when she felt her phone vibrate she immediately grabbed it to see if Ignis had responded. 

 **Ignis:**   _Adorable._

 **Ignis:**   _You look cute too, I suppose._

 **___:**   _How rude!_

 **Ignis:**   _I jest, of course._

Now that there was distance between them, ___ began to feel bold. She typed out her next message and read it over multiple times before pressing send:

 **___:**   _After what you said to me when you left I’m starting to wish it was you here with me and not Rikku (that’s my chocobo’s name, btw)_

Seconds later he replied:

 **Ignis:**   _Believe me, I would trade places with Rikku in a heartbeat._

___ received a notification from Prompto, it was a string of pictures he had taken on his phone throughout the day. Even when using a phone camera he framed his pictures expertly. Her favorite was the final picture, a group selfie of them in the motel room, waving at the lens.

 **Prompto:**   _Oh, and I just took this one of Iggy, I wonder who he’s texting…_

The picture was of Ignis sat on an armchair, leaning over his phone, a soft smile on his handsome face.

 **___:**   _Who knows?! Thanks for the pics, miss you all already! Goodnight from me and Rikku!_

She attached the picture she sent to Ignis and sent it to Prompto.

 **Prompto:**   _SO CUTE!!_

 **Prompto:**   _Oh and you’re lookin’ good too ;)_

 **___:**   _This is the last time I take a picture of me and a chocobo!!_

Navigating back to her and Ignis’s chat, she began to type.

 **___:**   _Send me pictures of you when you get the chance!_

 **___:**   _I had better go to sleep, I’m really tired. Goodnight, Ignis._  :)

 **Ignis:**   _Goodnight._

___ smiled, feeling more than just the warmth of the fire spread through her body. In the night she was woken up by a pitiful “kweh” outside her tent, Rikku the chocobo was getting soaked in the sudden downpour of rain. ___ laughed and guided her into the tent, though it was a little tight with a chocobo inside, but she couldn’t stand leaving her outside. She found a towel in her pack and dried her off, before drifting back to sleep. In the morning, she felt an unusual weight on her head, then realized it was Rikku. ___ slowly grabbed her phone and turned her camera to selfie mode, then saw Rikku’s face contently sleeping on her head. Trying not to giggle, she took a few pictures, before navigating to her phone’s home screen and seeing she had a message from Ignis.

 **Ignis:**   _Good morning._

Those simple two words would have been enough to make her heart flutter, but the picture he had attached to the message was enough for her to bolt upright and disturb poor, sleeping Rikku. He had taken a picture of himself in the bathroom mirror of their accommodation. His grey sweatpants were hanging just a little lower than usual, his hand was running through his wet hair, strands fell between his fingers falling loosely onto his forehead. ___ noticed he wasn’t wearing his glasses either, his piercing green eyes twinkling in combination with the trace of a boastful smile on his lips. The white, fitted t-shirt he wore rode up slightly, revealing a glimpse of Ignis’s sharp hipbone creating a dangerous v-line towards the depths of his sweatpants. ___ couldn’t keep her mouth closed, her jaw hung open as she started to laugh nervously at receiving such a gift.  _Oh my God, and here I am still taking pictures of me and a chocobo…_  ___ thought. 

A light bulb lit in her mind, she quickly took off all her clothes from her upper body, played with her hair enough so it was still messy but sexy, then laid back down. She moved her sleeping bag so it revealed some of her breasts, but not too much, then positioned her arms to give her chest a nice lift. She took a series of pictures trying to capture her best enticing look, then settled on one where her finger was gently pulling on her bottom lip exaggerating her seductive pout. Before she had time to reconsider, she sent it to Ignis.

For a while she stared at the message screen, wondering if her picture was sexy enough for him. While she waited, she enlarged Ignis’s picture, zooming in on every area of his face and body and admiring him.  _I can’t believe this is happening…_  she thought as she looked at his face, realizing this was the first time she was seeing him without his glasses.  _How can someone look equally as gorgeous with and without glasses?_ ___ felt a wave of panic, questioning if Ignis was doing this as a practical joke, or perhaps he had meant to send this picture to someone else. Then she remembered his kiss, his hands on her body, the things he had whispered in her ear. Shaking her head, she allowed herself to relax and enjoy this experience. She had been in relationships in the past, but as cliched as it sounded she had never felt quite like this about someone before. As she continued to admire the picture he sent to her, contemplating whether or not to set it as her phone’s wallpaper, her phone vibrated and she jumped as if caught in a lewd act. In the process she dropped her phone and it fell onto her face. ___ cried out in annoyance, then Rikku warked as if amused. “Shut it, Rikku.” ___ opened up the message she received.

 **Ignis:**   _You look utterly divine…_     

 **___:**   _As do you. It’s not fair to send me such sexy pictures so early in the morning. I might have to stay in my tent and let my hands wander while thinking of you. Shame on you for delaying my journey…_

 **Ignis:**   _Stop it._

 **___:**   _Are you getting aroused, Scientia? Scared the boys might notice your “excitement”?_

 **Ignis:**   _Yes._

 **___:**   _So, I shouldn’t tell you how wet I’m getting thinking about what it would be like if your hands were on me right now?_

 **Ignis:**   _…_

 **___:**   _Or how I’m softly pinching my nipples wishing that your lips were sucking them?_

**___:** _Oh. Maybe I shouldn’t mention that I’m dipping my fingers in and out of my soaking pussy, crying out your name…_

**Ignis:**   _Consider yourself well and truly in danger for severe punishment when I get my hands on you next, ___._

 **Ignis:**   _I have to drive the Regalia now. It’s going to take all my concentration to not think about these texts to prevent myself from crashing. We’ll talk soon._

 **___:**   _Drive safe, Ignis._

 **___:**   _Try not to think about me in the passenger seat, leaning over and giving you the best blowjob of your life while you’re driving._

 **Ignis:**   _You are a cruel, cruel temptress Miss Tueri._

 **___:**   _P.S. I’m looking forward to your “severe punishment” Mr. Scientia._

 **Ignis:**   _…You need to stop this. I’m dangerously close to having to pour ice water on my genitals._

 **___:**   _If you do that then my mouth will yearn to warm them back up._

 **Ignis:**   _Right, I’m putting my phone away for good this time. I’ll remember this teasing, believe me. Travel safe._  

She smiled, feeling aroused at the thought of Ignis getting hot and bothered at her text messages. Looking over at Rikku quelled all erotic thoughts, however, and she began her day of travelling. When she pulled out her phone on a break she noticed a group text had been created for all of them to converse. She sent her picture of Rikku sleeping on her head and Prompto typed in all-capitals for a while. Gladio informed ___ of his sister, Iris, and how they were hanging out with her since their paths crossed on their way to the next royal tomb. Prompto then proceeded to send multiple pictures of her, noticing how Iris was always stood next to Noctis. In one picture she was clearly staring at him in adoration.  _Oh, you sweet, summer, child…I’m afraid Noctis only has eyes for Lunafreya…_  

Later that night, Prompto sent a series of pictures of Ignis. Iris had taken it upon herself to give his hair a makeover. She had pushed his long bangs backwards, and sprayed a variety of hair styling products to keep them in place. Although ___ had began observing the pictures in humor, she couldn’t help but finding his new look incredibly alluring. She texted him privately.

 **___:**   _I like your new hair ;)_

 **Ignis:**   _Oh, really? It took quite some time getting it to stay this way._

 **___:**   _Such a shame, maybe if you grew it out it would be easier?_

 **Ignis:**   _Are you trying to suggest I change my hairstyle?_

 **___:**   _Never! I’m just saying it looks really sexy on you._

 **Ignis:**   _I’ll keep that in mind._

 **Ignis:**   _Might I say that I found the outfit you wore to the temple to be…particularly captivating._

 **___:**   _Is that so?_

 **Ignis:**   _Indeed so._

With some difficulty, ___ managed to adorn the outfit Ignis was referring to. This time she didn’t wear a bra, parting the lapels so that her cleavage was on show. She removed the skirt and wore her laciest thong. By propping her phone against her belongings and setting the timer, she took a series of pictures for him. One of which was taken of her back, she had glanced over her raised shoulder, fingers spread on her thigh close to her near-bare buttocks. In another picture she was kneeling on the ground, legs spread wide, her hands running through her hair, biting her lip at the camera lens. When she was happy with her selection, she checked that she was sending them to Ignis and not the group chat by mistake, then pressed send. ___ began the arduous process of taking off the garment.  _Better be worth it_. She thought to herself as she began untying the laces from the back of the corset.

After a few minutes, her phone began to ring. Confused, she looked at the screen, and saw Ignis was calling her. Her heart began to pound, she had been hiding quite comfortably behind the text messages, suddenly she was unsure if she could keep her cool over the phone. Before it could go to voicemail, she answered.

“Hi, Ignis.”

“Don’t you ‘ _Hi, Ignis_ ’, me, princess.” Ignis said, his voice low and fierce. His voice echoed slightly, he clearly had excused himself to the bathroom to make the phone call. “Do you have any idea what you’ve been doing to me today? I have had to think of unspeakable things to stop myself from becoming too aroused around the others. They keep questioning why I’ve been looking at my phone so much.” His voice was beginning to sound flustered, she had never heard him so out of sorts before. It sent a wave of confidence over her. Dropping her voice an octave, she coyly purred into the phone.

“Does this mean you want me to stop sending you pictures, Ignis?”

Ignis let out a stuttered sigh at the sound of her saying his name. ___ couldn’t be sure, but she imagined him rubbing his hand over his pants where his erection was growing. “No.”  

“I was just in the process of removing my corset when you called, now all I can do is imagine you here with me, slowly removing each string from the back as I suck on your neck.”

___ strained to listen to his reaction. She could hear him unbuckling his belt. A tingling sensation spread from her center throughout her body. She slipped off the garment and lay down on her sleeping bag, putting her phone on speaker and placing it next to her head.

“Now it’s off and I’m laying here…naked…wondering what to do with myself. I’m running my hands all over my body…wishing they were your hands. Oh, Ignis, I want you here with me.”

She heard him exhale heavily. “I want that too.”

“Are you touching yourself, right now?” ___ said, her voice wavering as she began pressing her clit with her fingers over her underwear.

“Gods, yes. Are you?” He replied.

“Mmm, yes. I’m so wet for you, Ignis. I just want you inside me. _”_ ___ groaned at the thought of him between her legs, she began to increase the pressure of her fingers and heard the tell-tale sounds of him pumping his cock through the speaker of her phone. He was breathing heavily, trying not to let his gasps of pleasure be audible. She knew he was trying to keep quiet in case anyone heard, which made her feel like she had to put on more of a show.

“I want you to take me from behind. I…want…you to grab my hips and…ahh…pull me in around your…cock…ohhh, do you want that too, baby?” ___ said as she punctuated her words with moans of ectasty.

“Yes… _fuck_ , keep going.” Ignis whispered, trying to not let his voice carry. ___ had never heard him curse before, it made her body shudder. Although she hadn’t been touching herself for long, she felt her orgasm rising, wondering how on Eos she was going to contain herself when they were reunited.

“I want…you…to  _fuck me so, so, hard, Ignis.”_ Her voice became louder as she tried to contain her orgasm. “I’m going to cum soon…oh, God…Ignis…”

“Ugh…cum for me,  _now.”_ He growled.

As if he was somehow in control of her orgasm, her body exploded in euphoria. She screamed his name as she came, and heard him grunt through the phone as he climaxed alongside her. Writhing around, she touched her body, relishing in the sensation. She heard him breathing hard, then heard him say “I’m fine, I’ll be out soon” to someone who had clearly grown concerned about his length of stay in the bathroom.

“Mmm, that felt so good. You’re making it so hard for me to travel in the opposite direction from you, Iggy.”

“Agreed.” He whispered. His voice dropped low, “But listen to me carefully, ___. This is just another offence that I’ll hold against you when I see you next. I…am going to  _destroy_  you. Do you understand?”

___ had never heard something so arousing, yet intimidating, in her entire life. 

“Yes, sir.” ___ uttered.

“Good. Now I really had better go. Thank you…for an eventful evening.”

“You’re welcome, Mr. Scientia”

“…There you go again. Good bye, ___.”

“Good bye, Ignis.” ___ said, smiling.

“I…I miss you.” Ignis said, his voice full of sweet longing.

“I miss you, too.” She replied, feeling her heart jump into her throat.

“Bye.” He said softly and he hung up the phone.

[End of Part XII]


	13. The Sylleblossom and the Dragon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you would like to support me in writing this fic, I’d be seriously over the moon if you bought me a coffee on my ko-fi page: https://ko-fi.com/atarostarling  
> Please do not feel obligated!!

**Ignis:** _How was your training today, ___?_

**___:** _Oh, you know, apart from the multiple bruises covering my entire body I’d say it went quite well._

**Ignis:** _How unfortunate._

**Ignis:** _Perhaps it would be wise for you to come to the campsite we’re currently at and I can tend to these bruises personally._

**___:** _Stop yourself right there, I know where this is going._

**Ignis:** _Whatever do you mean? I have a homemade ointment that works wonders on the discoloration._

**___:** _That’s all you have to say? Nothing suggestive just to tease me?_

**Ignis:** _Of course not. Your mind is too quick to wander to eroticism, ___. Perhaps you should seek professional help._

**___:** _Alright, alright. My bad._

**___:** _I apologize._

**___:** _Argh, there’s this huge bruise on my inner thigh, it looks practically black. Do you think your ointment would work on intense discoloration?_

**Ignis:** _Most definitely._

**Ignis:** _Perhaps I told a slight lie…the ointment works best if applied to the lips first and then transferred to the skin…_

**Ignis:** _While I’m sat in between your legs, kissing your thighs, gently running my tongue over your skin, I might as well allow my attention to slowly wander higher up your leg…_ ****

**___:** _*sigh* I walked right into that one didn’t I?_

**Ignis:** _Most definitely._

**___:** _Is this payback for the phone call I made the other night?_

**Ignis:** _Are you referring to the phone call you made while you were in the middle of pleasuring yourself?_

**Ignis:** _So that when I answered the phone I was greeted with your intoxicating moans and you whimpering my name?_

**Ignis:** _The result of which was me becoming completely distracted and almost overcooking the Behemoth steaks I had in the pan?_

**___:** _Yeah…that one._

**Ignis:** _Then yes, this is payback._

**___:** _I suppose I deserve it, huh?_

**Ignis:** _Most definitely._

**Ignis:** _Though I cannot deny that I enjoyed it, despite the timing._

**___:** _I cannot deny that my timing was completely intentional._

**Ignis:** _Perhaps you’ll be receiving a similar phone call sometime soon._

**___:** _…are you serious?_

**Ignis:** _Deadly_

**___:** _…Fuck._

**___:** _I better go, speak to you soon._

* * *

**[Call missed from: Ignis Scientia]**

**Ignis:** _What a pity, you must be busy._

* * *

**Ignis:**   ____, is everything alright? I’ve not heard from you for a few days._

**[Call missed from: Ignis Scientia]**

**[Call missed from: Ignis Scientia]**

* * *

**[Call missed from: Ignis Scientia]**

**Ignis:** _Please respond as soon as you see this, I’m worried about you._

**___:** _Ignis, I’m so sorry. Something has happened…I can’t talk about it here. I’m safe, but I’ll be leaving very soon. I might not be able to check my phone often, please can you keep me updated on your location so I can find you?_

**Ignis:** _What a relief, I was very close to suggesting to Noct we try to find you. Yes, of course, I’ll update you on our location from here on. Currently we’re in Hammerhead._

**Ignis:** _Prompto is trying his best to catch the attention of Cindy, it’s quite amusing…but a little painful to watch._

* * *

**Ignis:** _Let me know if there’s anything I can do._

* * *

**Ignis:** _We’re on our way to the next royal tomb, though I fear about the circumstances._

**Ignis:** _Ardyn Izunia appeared at Hammerhead and was the one to inform us of its location…I do not trust this man…but he appears insistent that he is the only one who can guide us to its entrance. I’ll send you our location when we arrive._

**Ignis:** _Here’s a screenshot of our current location: [Picture]_

* * *

**[Call to: Ignis Scientia Failed]**

**[Call to: Ignis Scientia Failed]**

**[Call to: Ignis Scientia Failed]**

**[Call to: Ignis Scientia Failed]**

* * *

“Oh man, it’s light out? Were we in there overnight?” Prompto asked, covering his eyes from the bright afternoon sun shining through the entrance to the mines.

“That’s a possibility.” Ignis replied as he opened the elevator’s doors, “It did take us longer than usual to locate the tomb.”

“I’m beat, let’s head back to Hammerhead and eat some of Takka’s chili.” Noctis said, dragging his feet slightly as he winced in the sunlight.

“Hold up guys.” Gladiolus said, raising his hand. “We’ve got company.”

Walking along the abandoned tracks, a hooded figure was approaching them. It was a girl, the dark brown jacket she wore clung to her figure, the hood was raised over her head disguising her face, but hung open to reveal the corset she wore underneath. The sturdy, heart shaped, wine red corset sealed at the front with golden clasps, every other clasp was attached to a regal gold embroidered motif. Underneath she wore a loose white garment, the cuffs were folded on top of her rolled up jacket sleeves. A large black crescent moon shaped necklace hung around her neck on a gold chain that wrapped around the pendent.  Her legs were covered with a tight but flexible black leather, with brown lace up boots reaching mid-way up her calf muscles. This was no ordinary civilian taking a hike, she looked like a trained warrior.

“Hey!” Gladio called out, his voice echoing off the rock corridor that she was walking up. She froze in her tracks and reached up to pull her hood down. The Lucian’s prepared themselves for battle. They hesitated when they noticed the familiar hair color. Raising her head, she finally revealed her identity to them.

“___!” Noctis called out and ran towards her.

Instead of a warm welcome, she squared her stance against Noctis, raised a hand to stop him in his place. She thrust out her right hand and summoned her Rakuyo. The silver markings that danced over the midnight black and gold weapon shimmered. Ignis remembered the morning after she received it, she had to concentrate with all her might to get the Rakuyo to dimly glow, now she stood confidently wielding a gleaming lance like an Astral.

“Where is he.” Stated ___.

“W-who?” Noctis stammered, confused by her unusual attitude.

“Ardyn.”

“He left as soon as we got to the entrance, we’ve been in there overnight.” Gladio said.

“Thank the God…” ___ said and relaxed, dismissing the Rakuyo. “There’s so much I need to tell you all, we need to go back to my motel right now.”

“Uhh…sure…are you ok? You seem different.” Noctis asked.

“You’ve been gone for weeks and we don’t even get a ‘hello’?” Added Gladio, folding his arms.

___ considered them for a moment, then smiled warmly. Her body relaxed, as if she had released all her woes under their observation. “I’m so sorry, a lot has happened in the last couple of days. I’m so stupid. Guys, it’s so, so great to see you all.” She held out her arms and walked over to Noctis.

“Are we the hugging type of friends now or something?!” He replied, backing away from her approach.

“You’re damn right we are!” ___ replied and the others laughed as she chased Noctis down and sealed him in a tight hug. Prompto began buzzing around them taking pictures, when he got too close ___ grabbed him by his vest and pulled him in to the embrace. Noctis cried out in discomfort, but it only made her hold onto them tighter. When she finally released them, Gladio walked over and held out his fist for her to bump with her own.

“I like the new get up, ___. We thought you were some sort of foreign assassin for a second.” Gladio said.

“Why, thank you!” ___ said, placing her hands on her tucked in waist and swaying her hips side to side in jest.

Her eyes met with Ignis’s. Her heart pounded. He observed her figure, eyeing her up and down taking her in like he was about to eat a gourmet meal. Before the others suspected anything, she confidently strode over to where he was and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him sweetly.

“Great to see you, Ignis.” She said nonchalantly.

 **“** You too, ___. You look well.” Ignis said as he pulled away. To the casual observer it looked like a generic welcome embrace, but his hands lingered on her waist for a few seconds longer than normal. Looking up at him she bit her lip, casting her seductive eyes over his face and body, then smiled devilishly at him before applying her normal expression and turning around to face the others. As he watched her turn, Ignis felt an overwhelming sensation sweep his body. He wanted to take her hand and spin her back around to face him, to devour her in every way possible there and then and let the others watch him claim her. This ravishing, corseted goddess full of strength and confidence wielding Bahamut’s lance was enticing him with every step, every gesture, every breath that escaped her perfect lips. His eyes glanced down to her rear and he almost cursed observing its perfection, the leather hugged her ass like a dying wish; it was enough to make Shiva herself jealous. It took everything in his power to act casual while his mind wandered to their first kiss, the flirtatious pictures, the obscene phone calls. He bit the insides of his cheeks until he started to taste a trace of blood, and tried to compose himself.

“Sorry to get all business again on you guys, but I really do have to urge you to come back to my motel. I’ve got something there you need to see.” Her eyes glanced at Noctis, who shrugged slightly.

“Alright, let’s go to the Regalia. Are you ok to drive, Specs?” Noctis asked Ignis, who was staring at ___ in a trance. Everyone turned to face him, but he was oblivious to their gaze. His eyes met with ___’s and she raised her eyebrows, signaling him that he had been addressed.

“Yes. Of course.” He said suddenly.

“Woah, Iggy, if you need to rest I can drive.” Gladio said, patting his companion on the back. “You look a little dazed.”

“My apologies. I must have been…lost in thought.” Ignis replied, ___ caught him narrowing his eyes for a nanosecond in her direction before moving his gaze to his friends. She turned to walk down the towards the Regalia, a satisfied smile on her face and her cheeks turning rose colored.  

* * *

“So how was training? Sounded like you were getting your ass beat every day from what you said in the group text.” Gladiolus asked ___. Ignis was driving the Regalia to ___’s motel.

“It was enlightening yet grueling. You would love Auron, Gladio, he’s your kinda guy. Doesn’t take shit from anyone.”

“When training you that’s a good thing, you’re such a complainer.”

“I’m not!”

“Yes, you are!” Gladio said then poked her in the leg.

“OW!” ___ flinched and shifted away from Gladio and into Noctis.

“Hey, watch it!” Reacted Noctis.

“Sorry Noct,” she turned towards Gladio, “I’ve got a huge bruise there, you idiot!” she smacked him on the arm in response to his prodding.

“___, I do believe I mentioned I had ointment for bruising. I’ll drop some by your room later this evening, if that’s suitable?” Ignis asked. ___ looked into the rearview mirror and saw his eyes were transfixed on her, that same hunger in his eyes she witnessed when he had made her tremble with a simple touch the day she left them to train. She felt her excitement grow between her legs as she tried to remain casual.

“Yes, thank you, Ignis.” She replied.

“Ignis, look out!” Prompto screamed.

In front of them a Magitek engine was landing, it’s jaws opening to reveal a figure emerging from its depths. Ignis slammed on the breaks of the Regalia, swerving across the road. They looked over to the engine and saw a silver haired figured emerge.

“Ravus…” Noctis sneered.

 _“Find her and kill her.”_ The voice played in her mind. The voice of the one who was in charge of the murder of her family. Ravus Nox Fleuret. Her companions sprang into action, leaping out of their seats and over the Regalia’s doors. She remained seated in the back of the car, her body trembling, the pit in her stomach deepening with each step he took towards them.

“We meet again, Noctis.” Ravus spat, his sword already unsheathed, walking closer towards him. “You’ve just received yet another blessing from your ancestors, and yet, you know nothing of the consequences.”  

“That’s far enough, Ravus.” Gladiolus said, standing in front of the Prince.

“Ardyn seems it befitting to toy with you out of pity, it is all but a game to him. I believe in putting you out of your misery. Your throne crumbles as you parade around the land with your friends, fulfilling a lost cause. Give up. All will be lost.” Ravus glanced to the ground momentarily. “I’ve come to understand that now.” 

Noctis stepped forward to confront Ravus face to face. “Awful high and mighty for an imperial rat, serving the enemy that might have killed Luna!”

Ravus lunged forward, faster than any of them could have anticipated, he grabbed Noctis’s throat. Pointing his sword towards the others to deter any of the Lucian’s from helping, he growled into Noctis’s face, “I do not serve, I command! My men are searching for her every second of the day while you live out your fantasy that you will be King once more. Pathetic.” Ravus released him, throwing him to the ground as Gladio stepped forward and summoned his sword.

“Keep it up, see where it gets you.” Gladio growled.

“Enough of this foolishness.” Ravus hissed and brought his sword down over Gladiolus. He held up his broadsword and met the blade, but ___ watched as she saw her friends body tremble under Ravus’s strength. Ravus pushed Gladio’s sword to the side, then elbowed him and sent him flying back into the side of the Regalia’s doors. The car shook and ___ snapped out her trance. “ _Remember us. Avenge us.”_ Closing her eyes, she allowed her fathers last words to wash over her and give her strength.  

___ stood and planted her feet on the Regalia’s door, summoning the Rakuyo. She saw Noctis summon his Royal Arms while Ignis was trying to hold Ravus back with his polearm. 

“Let’s do this.” Noctis said.

“Careful, Noct!” Exclaimed Ignis, clearly shaken from witnessing Ravus overpower Gladiolus so easily. The odds were not in their favor.  

Ravus scowled at Noct, then suddenly his eyes glanced up, widening in horror, he fell back and stumbled to the ground. Before Noctis and Ignis had time to turn to see the cause of Ravus’s sudden terror, ___ slammed her Rakuyo into the ground where Ravus once stood.

“I will allow you to hurt the ones I care about no longer, Ravus.” Snarled ___.

“ _Who are you_?” Cried out Ravus, as ___ lifted her lance out of the shattered concrete and twirled it around so both her hands are gripping the pole tightly.

“I… am vengeance.” ___ said, then unleashed a deadly barrage of stabbing attacks at Ravus, who tried to deflect her spear with his sword while he clambered backwards, trying to stand back up.

“ATTACK HER, YOU FOOLS!” Ravus manages to yell at the line of MT’s who emerged from the jaws of the Magitek Engine, springing to life at their commanders orders. ___ looked up from Ravus at the army that was approaching her and somersaulted away from them. Ravus took the moment to finally pull himself to standing and watched as she thrust her lance toward the sky. From the tip of the spear an orb of fire ignited, Noctis and Ignis retracted from the sudden heat. The MT’s were now in range and raised their guns to fire at her, but before they could pull the trigger ___ swung the Rakuyo in front of her and unleashed the power of the fire she had conjured. The MT’s dropped immediately and Ravus screamed in pain, running towards the Magitek Engine casting off his jacket to escape the flames.

As his army burned, the ship took off from the scene of destruction, with Ravus stood glaring down at ___ in horror. Returning his cold stare, she stood defiantly in front of the inferno she created; a warning to him, until the jaws of the Engine swallowed his figure. Turning around, she looked at her friends, who are staring at her in awe and shock.

“Let’s go.” Stated ___, walking back to the Regalia, a blank expression on her face.

“I’m glad she’s on our side…” Noctis mumbled to Ignis as they watched her walk back to the vehicle.

“Indeed.” Replied Ignis.

* * *

Just before ___ entered her room at the motel, she looked over at Noctis and broke the silence that had hung over them since their encounter with Ravus. “Are you ready?” She asked him.

“For what?” Noctis replied, confused.

___ smiled in response, then opened the door and let the others inside the room. Closing the door behind them, they gathered around and saw the back of a figure wearing jeans and a hooded jacket. When the figure turned around, they gasped in shock. Lady Lunafreya stood before them, disguised in casual clothing, yet still radiating an enigmatic light.

“Noctis…it has been far too long.” She said.

“Luna?!” Exclaimed Noctis, who was frozen in his place.

Ignis looked over at ___ who had sat down at the end of one of the beds, looking weary, but her eyes told him she was overwhelmed with reuniting Noctis and Lunafreya.

“I believe we have some explaining to do, don’t we ___?” Lunafreya said with a smile.

[End of Part XIII]


	14. Dreams of Lestallum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is NSFW

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you would like to support me in writing this fic, I’d be seriously over the moon if you bought me a coffee on my ko-fi page: https://ko-fi.com/atarostarling  
> Please do not feel obligated!!

“Since the fall of Insomnia, I have been travelling Eos and communing with the Astrals for guidance and to seek their aid for the inevitable war on the horizon. Venturing alone in this task, as well as avoiding the Empire, took its toll and I found myself on the brink of exhaustion. I had begun experiencing headaches and witnessed glimpses of a message I could not decipher. It all became too much for me to handle at the level of strength that I was at, and I collapsed. Luckily ___ found me.” Lunafreya said, smiling over to where ___ sat on the edge of a bed with Ignis next to her. Gladiolus had taken his position on the bed closest to Lunafreya, while Noctis stood leaning on the wall near the armchair she was sat in. Prompto sat cross legged near to the Prince, looking at Lunafreya in awe. She knew she owed Prompto a thank you when the time was right.

“___ kindly took me back to her people, who then treated me and began informing me of the hardships that their people have endured. Over the course of learning about ___, I concluded that since her visit to the first temple on her pilgrimage the headaches I experienced were the Astrals trying to communicate with me. It was only when I communed with Ramuh that I learned the truth.”

“What truth?” Noctis asked.

“That Prince Noctis, Lady ___ and I, together, are the key to ending the Starscourge.”

Ignis looked at ___ who met his eyes and smiled a tired smile. Prompto and Gladiolus looked between the three of them. “But how will you guys be able to end the Starscourge, Lady Lunafreya?” Prompto asked. Lunafreya smiled at the formality.

“Please, call me Luna, Prompto.” Prompto blushed in response. “We are part of what you might call a trinity. A trinity that Bahamut blessed Eos with long ago when the Starscourge began. The Oracle was to keep the Starscourge at bay, The King of Lucis was to channel the crystals power and protect Eos itself from succumbing to the darkness, while The Dragon Knight was to protect them both and the people of Eos. If one of us should fall…then our chances of banishing the darkness for good without dire consequences is severely unlikely. We must protect one another for the day that we will be able to stand side by side and face our common enemy.”

“Who though? Niflheim?” Gladiolus asked.

“Ardyn Izunia.” Lunafreya replied.

“Him? Why?” said Noctis.

“I’m not entirely sure, but I sense a great evil within him. I believe he is the reason for the rise of the Niflheim Empire, which has caused so much suffering throughout Eos.” Her head hung for a moment, before she gathered her resolve once more. “I know that he has been experimenting on humans to develop horrific MT’s made from man and daemons.”

“Wait, wasn’t that what you were talking about in Lestallum, ___? You said people were disappearing from the army?” Prompto asked. She nodded solemnly. Lunafreya continued.

“I fear that Ardyn Izunia has provided Niflheim with a means to create their own daemons who they can control for their army. I fear for my brother, who has been blinded from the truth and driven by hatred for far too long…”

A silence washed over the room as they allowed the information to sink in. “Those bastards.” Gladiolus cursed, suddenly. “So what’s our next move here? Do we defeat Ardyn and the Empire, take back the crystal and then somehow you three can end the Starscourge?”

“In theory, yes.” ___ said. “Unfortunately, Ardyn has surrounded himself with a powerful ally. To defeat him would mean we would have to get through the Empire. We need to finish our respective training so we’re ready to face him. Noctis needs all the Royal Arms, Luna needs to commune with all the Astrals she can, and I need to visit the final temples and complete my training as a Dragon Knight. Until then, we have to be careful and not get ourselves killed.”

“Indeed. I believe we can do this, everyone. Now that we are reunited, now we are surrounded with friends, I know that there is hope for Eos. Our enemy might seem too powerful, but we will end the Starscourge that has plagued this planet for centuries… together.” Lunafreya said, a hand placed on her heart. Reaching into her t-shirt, she pulled out her necklace and on it was the Ring of Lucii. Noctis saw the ring and stood up straight as she got up from her chair and removed the ring from the chain. “Prince Noctis…your fathers last wish was that I give you his ring. You were in his final thoughts. I’m…so sorry there was nothing I could do for him.” Lunafreya placed the ring into Noctis’s hand, he gripped it and tears formed in her eyes.

“Thank you, Luna.” He replied quietly.

Gladiolus stood up, reading the situation, and began ushering Prompto out of the room who tried to protest until he looked up at Gladio’s glare. Ignis stood up to leave, ___ picked up her backpack from the bed and followed them, but she couldn’t help but look over her shoulder to see Noctis reach out and softly touch Lunafreya’s cheek before she closed the door behind her.

“I could use a drink, so could you, ___.” Stated Gladio when they were outside.

“Look, there’s a bar over there! Let’s go there.” Prompto pointed at a small building on the corner of the towns perimeter.

“Are you guys getting a room? I was hoping I could change, I’ve been riding a chocobo all day in these clothes.”

“Oh, and I need to change the battery pack in my camera!” Prompto exclaimed.

“Alright…but after all that we’re drinking.” Gladio caved.

* * *

“What’s taking her so long? I’m dying for a beer.” Gladio complained, pacing the room. ___ had been showering and changing, while he, Ignis and Prompto waited for her.

“You can go ahead if you wish, we will wait for her.” Ignis said. Prompto had his headphones on and was playing King’s Knight on his phone, lost in his own world. 

“Alright, but don’t keep me waiting too long. It sucks drinking alone.” Said Gladio as he headed out of the door. 

The bathroom door opened and ___ walked out. She wore a simple black tank top and a sapphire blue pleated skirt with slip on heels. Looking around the room she asked, “Man down?” 

“Yes, Gladio was too impatient to wait another minute it would seem.” Ignis responded, as he adjusted his glasses.

“Oops. Well, I’m ready now. Sorry about that, I really needed that shower.” ___ said. Ignis stood up and walked over to ___.

“You look beautiful.” He said. She cast her eyes over to Prompto who was sat on the floor, his back leaning against the bed, his feet propped against the wall. “He can’t hear us through those headphones.” Ignis reassured her. “___, you must be feeling quite overwhelmed with the news that your role is essential to ending the Starscourge. How are you feeling?” 

___ sighed. “I won’t lie, I’m terrified of it all. However, now I feel like I have a purpose beyond my own personal goals. It’s oddly comforting knowing that I’m not alone in this, that Noctis and Luna will be there for me, and I them.”

“As will I.” Ignis said, stepping forward and gently taking her hand, running his thumb over her knuckles. 

“Thank you, Ignis.” ___ smiled at him. Her eyes glanced at Prompto, who was still engrossed in his video game, wishing they were alone. “I’m so sorry I dropped off the planet in the last week.”

“That’s quite alright.” Ignis said, then placed a hand on his hip. “Though you did miss an interesting phone call.”

___ laughed. “We sure have been cruel to each other, haven’t we?” 

“Cruel? I’ve found it…exhilarating.”

___ smiled and raised an eyebrow. “Me too, don’t get me wrong. But now that we’re back in a group it’s going to be…interesting to tease you. I wonder who will cave first, hmm?” ___ twirled a strand of her hair around her finger and gave him a coy smile.

“Despite what you might have concluded about me, I believe I will remain a perfect gentleman.” Ignis said, crossing his arms and giving her his best serious look.

“Sure. Well, on that note let me tell you a secret.” ___ leaned in close and whispered into his ear. “ _I’m not wearing any underwear_ …Come on, Prompto, let’s go!” ___ left Ignis standing there, his eyes wide, as she grabbed Prompto’s headphones off his head and summoned him to leave. 

Ignis watched her skirt as they walked across the street, observing it swaying back and forth, longing to lift it up and insert himself into her as he had often fantasized about. She had her arm draped around Prompto, who was showing her the pictures he had taken since she had been away. They had spent weeks exchanging obscene messages, pictures and phone calls; he couldn’t quite grasp the concept that she was here with him now and he could touch her if he so desired. Once they were seated in the bar, they ordered drinks and began conversing, and Ignis began to feel more in control of his lust for ___.

* * *

“I can’t believe he overpowered me like that.” Gladiolus said, slamming down his beer glass on the table. The four of them were sat at a curved booth – Gladiolus and Ignis on one side, while Prompto and ___ sat opposite them. They had been talking and drinking, feeling the alcohol relax them, enjoying the atmosphere of the bar. It was small, but vibrant, without being overwhelmingly busy. Various license plates plastered the walls along with vintage posters of old beverages and neon signs. Near to the entrance of the bar was a small dance floor with an elevated stage for musicians to play. Gladio continued. “I guess I’ve got my own training to do…how are you feeling about all this ‘trinity’ stuff, ___?”

___ took a sip of her Old Fashioned, a drink choice that had made Ignis raise his eyebrow with respect when she ordered it. “Overwhelmed, honestly. However, knowing that our futures are aligned makes me feel it was written in the stars that we met.” ___ said raising her glass. “To meeting you and kicking your asses while doing so.” They laughed, but raised their glass and toasted ___’s sentiment regardless.

“You can stop this song and dance pretending like you don’t need us now. You’ve got a king and an oracle to look out for. Welcome to the club.” Gladio said smirking, tilting his glass towards her.

“Yeah, yeah. And the rest of Eos don’t forget. Do you think they’ll let me drink for free if I tell them I’m the official protector of the entire population?” ___ joked.

“I’ll give you 1000 gil if you try.” Prompto said, a boisterous smile on his face.

“Buy me a few more drinks and I’ll take that bet.” ___ said, finishing the drink she had in her hand. “But seriously, there must be  _some_ perks to saving the world, right?” ___ said as she leaned forward. Under the table she slipped off her shoes and began rubbing her foot along Ignis’s calf. His posture straightened under her touch.

“I’m sure the act itself would be a big enough of a ‘perk’, don’t you think?” Ignis said, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. ___ continued to caress his leg under the table.

“Yeah, you’re right, Iggy.” ___ replied, moving her foot so it was close to his knee. Ignis raised a fist to his mouth and cleared his throat, but ___’s foot remained exactly where it was. “Say, have you guys ever seen Ignis drunk?” She asked.

“Woah boy, he got pretty merry on Noctis’s 19th birthday.” Prompto began.

“Do we really need to hear this story, Prompto?” Ignis responded, his voice shaking towards the end of the sentence. ___ had moved her foot so it was now running up and down his inner thigh. He tried to avoid making eye contact with ___, who was leaning her head on the back of her hand observing Ignis’s reactions. 

“Yes!! We really do need to hear this!” Prompto exclaimed, then shifted in his seat in excitement to tell ___ the story. “So, we managed to get into a club where Ignis practically sat at the bar all night trying all the cocktails on the menu, asking the bartender about each and every one of them.”

“In my defense, they were exquisite.” Ignis said, able to keep his composure now ___’s toes had retreated back to his lower leg.

“Yeah, but you must have drank 6 of them! And that bartender was not messing around, lemme tell you that.” Gladio said laughing.

“Then he stands up and that’s it, we met drunk Ignis for the first and last time.” Prompto explained.

“Oh man, I want to meet drunk Ignis!” ___ exclaimed, she ran her toes back to his upper thigh and reached his groin. ___ watched his face, noticing he was trying to hide a smirk, but it was showing through ever so slightly. “What was giddy Iggy like?!”

 _“_ One hell of a dancer that’s for sure.” Gladio chimed in.

“WHAT?” ___ exclaimed, “Tell me everything!”

“It’s a bit of a blur for me too, but he’s got some moves. The ladies loved him.” Prompto recalled. 

“Yeah, he had a circle of adoring fans around him as he danced with each of them in turn like a pro.” Gladio reflected, elbowing Ignis who was now massaging his eyelids at the memory.

“I’m dying to see you dance, Ignis.” ___ said, her toes were now gently placed in between his legs. He shook his head and she observed his cheeks dimple as he clenched his jaw, but he shifted in his seat and spread his legs wider.

“All of a sudden, he was gone! We looked everywhere for him, but we found him outside just stood there as stiff as a statue. When we walked over to him, he shouted ‘I WANT PIZZA’ and just took off!” Prompto explained, trying hard to not laugh until he finally burst into giggles by the end.

___ removed her foot from him as she slumped over onto the table laughing at the image of Ignis sprinting down the streets trying to find a takeaway pizza shop.

“Once he found a pizza place that was open, he sat hunched over munching the entire thing. When Noct tried to take a piece, he full on HISSED at him. It was incredible!” Gladio said and they all burst into hysterical laughter. Ignis smiled at the memory and shook his head at their reaction.

“Needless to say, I learned a valuable lesson about mixing spirits that night.” Concluded Ignis.

“Are you guys talking about Iggy on my birthday?” Noctis appeared at the table with Lunafreya, as they were trying to recover from their laughter.

“Noctis! Luna!” They all called out through giggles and began shifting down the booth seat to give them enough room to sit. ___ and Ignis were now pressed up close to each other. ___ reached down and interlocked her fingers with his and held his hand. He glanced down at their now intertwined fingers and back up at her, she winked and gave his hand a squeeze. He softly smiled in response.

For a while they all conversed, Luna and Noctis began to share tales of their childhood; they hadn’t seen Noctis quite as animated as he was around Luna. ___ thought to herself how wonderful it was to behold. A crowd began cheering on the dance floor and everyone’s attention was drawn to the sound. ___ used the distraction to release Ignis’s hand and run her hand down his inner thigh, she thought she could hear him curse under his breath. ___ quickly moved her hand away when Gladiolus turned back around to face them. The music began playing and people began to flood the dance floor.

“That looks like fun!” Lunafreya exclaimed.

“Shall we go up and dance?” Prompto suggested.

“Yes, please!” She replied. Noctis, Lunafreya and Prompto got up to dance, then Gladio slid out of the booth seat. “I’m gonna go keep an eye on them…Plus, this song is awesome. Wait for me, guys!”

___ laughed watching him stumble out of the booth and dancing on his way to the crowd. When they were alone, ___ brought her hand over his groin and began gently caressing him, feeling his erection beginning to grow underneath her fingers. She locked her eyes on his and he watched her intently, then grabbed her wrist and leaned forward so his mouth was next to her ear.

“Outside. Now.” Ignis growled into her ear. Sliding out of the booth, he walked out of the bar without looking back to see if she was following. ___’s body tingled in anticipation as to what was waiting for her when she stepped outside of the bar. Slowly, she moved out of the booth and walked to the entryway.

“___! Come join us!” Lunafreya said sweetly as she danced with her friends.

“I’m gonna head back, I’ll see you in our room.” ___ replied. Lunafreya nodded and turned back to watch the musicians play.

___ gingerly took a step outside and as expected, a gloved hand grabbed hers and pulled her away from safety. Ignis was leading her to the back of the building. When he was satisfied that they were secluded enough he let go of her hand, gripped her shoulders and shoved her against the wall. He placed his left hand on her clavicle, pinning her in place, while his right hand began wandering all over her body. His voice dropped low as he said, “You’re making it very difficult for me to be a gentlemen, ___. It’s taking everything I have to not want to fuck you right here against this wall.” He squeezed her breast and her hand shot up and grabbed his wrist. Using her free hand, she reached up to his shoulder and looped her fingers under his suspenders. Slowly, she traced the suspenders down, making sure Ignis felt her fingers contact his toned body underneath. 

“When you fuck me for the first time, Mr. Scientia…” she said softly, her hand almost midway down his torso. “I want it to be somewhere so we have complete privacy…” Her fingers were now looping around the waist band of his trousers. “Somewhere where you can take your sweet…sweet time…” She moved her fingers between his legs and placed her hand on his groin, feeling his rock-hard erection underneath the material. “…so that you can fuck me all night long, in any way you desire.” She gently squeezed his manhood. Ignis let out a devastatingly beautiful groan. “Wouldn’t you agree?” ___ asked.

“I agree…reluctantly.”  Ignis sighed. ___ released his hand and he placed it on her waist. He withdrew the hand that was pinning her upper body to the wall and ran it down her torso and then began playing with the pleats of her skirt. “However, as you can see you’ve gotten me quite riled up.” Moving his hand under her skirt she felt the cold leather of his gloves touch the skin on her thighs. “What about you?” He ran a finger over her slit and felt how slick she had become. “I’m glad to learn you didn’t lie to me about not wearing underwear. I’ve been thinking about doing this all evening.” Her knees quivered and she let out a breathy moan at the feel of his touch. Ignis’s penis twitched under her fingers as she moaned, which gave ___ an idea. She began to unbuckle his belt and looked him in the eyes for permission. His eyes fluttered shut as she unfastened his button and unzipped him, he gasped with pleasure as she reached into his underwear and found his erection and pulled him out. While she was releasing him, he was using his deft fingers to trace her folds up and down, hearing how soaking she was for him.

“Maybe we should wait.” ___ muttered as her breath began to hitch from the feel of his fingers tracing her sex.

“Perhaps.” Ignis said with a lustful breath, her hand moving up and down his penis. ___ reached between her legs, pushing Ignis’s hand away momentarily, and wiped her excitement onto her palm. She then reached forward and placed it around his length. Ignis fell forward when he felt her moist hand wrap around him, his head fell onto her shoulder. His fingers made their way inside of her, ___ let out a stifled groan, the fear of someone finding them sending shock waves of arousal throughout her entire body.

“Someone might find us.” ___ whispered into his hair.

“They might.” He said into her neck, then kissed the skin there and began licking and sucking.

Their breathing became quick and heavy as their hands pleasured each other, when ___’s legs began to display signs of buckling Ignis began circling her clitoris with his thumb and she clamped her mouth shut to try and mute her screams. His hand pulled out of her and wrapped his fingers around her thigh, his grip firm, telling ___ that he was getting close.

“Oh, ___…that feels incredible.” Ignis said deepening his voice. She rolled her hand over his entire length with increased speed now that she wasn’t distracted by his hand between her legs. “Ughh… yes…keep going…just like…hngh…” Her arousal intensified as she heard his moans in her neck. ___ felt him pulsing in her hand, his legs jerked, then he lifted his head and released a blissful groan in her ear, a signal that he had reached his climax. She placed her palm near his tip to catch his juices before they ran down his length and stained his clothes.

Ignis’s chest heaved, then he moved back and looked at her, placing himself back into his trousers. He looked like he was about to say something, but was caught off guard when ___ brought up her hand that held Ignis’s cum and licked her palm clean and swallowed, closing her eyes with bliss and moaning as she tasted him. He looked at her with intense lust and uttered “Come here” as he wrapped a hand around the back of her head and pulled her towards him, thrusting his mouth onto hers, kissing her deeply, tasting himself in her mouth. Ignis tore himself away from her now swollen lips, then removed his glasses and placed them in his pocket. He fell down on his knees in front of her; a subject kneeling before his Queen. Ignis looked up at her, his sea foam eyes, no longer hiding behind his spectacles, locked on hers, “I’m _desperate_  to taste you, kitten.” He said in hushed tones as he ran his fingers up and down her bare legs.

Her breath hitched in response, and he pulled the back of her leg up and lifted it so it was resting on his shoulder, keeping eye contact with her the entire time. While her chest raised and fell in anticipation, ___ lifted her skirt out of his way as she felt his gloved hands grip her thighs. She bit her lip, then watched Ignis look forward as he moved his face towards her sex with hunger. He began to ferociously lick and suck her clitoris as if he was a starving man and her center was a meal. Pulling away he looked up at her, his mouth glistening, “You taste incredible.” ___ grabbed the back of his head in response and pushed him back towards her. Her hand remained on his head, pulling on his tawny hair, as she tried to contain her screams and balance herself against the wall. The sounds of Ignis drinking her; the way he moaned and breathed into her, the way he seemed to purposefully make as much noise as possible, was the most heavenly sound. Ripples of euphoria spread through her body as she felt herself reaching her limit.

“I-Ignis… _fuck…_ I-I’m..” Then she let out a pleasured scream as she came, immediately covering her mouth to stop the aftershock of moans from escaping into the night air. She removed her leg from Ignis’s shoulder and sank to the floor in a heap in front of him. She sighed, eyes still closed and smiling from her orgasm. Ignis used the back of his hand to wipe his mouth, then took off his gloves and placed them in his pocket. Removing his glasses from the opposite pocket, he placed them back on his face.  

___ opened her eyes and looked at him, he smiled and reached out and placed his bare hand on her arm and then began to stand up, pulling her up with him. She leaned on the wall, still feeling the blissful sensations sweeping her body, allowing the knowledge that Ignis Scientia just had his face between her legs, ravishing her, satisfy her self-conscious mind. Gingerly, Ignis began playing with strands of her hair and ran his fingers over her cheek bones and traced her lips. The sensation of his bare skin made her yearn for him deeply, on a spiritual level that until this moment she was unaware of. He was like a sculptor and she was his creation, he observed her with an intense adoration that she had never seen in a man’s eyes before. ___ reached her hand up and placed it on his neck, letting her fingers wander down to his clavicle and began playing with his shirt collar.

“Forgive me, I wish I could have waited for a more…suitable location. I lied when I said I would remain a gentleman. Being around you again is…intoxicating.” He said softly.

“Why do you think I instigated this whole thing?” ___ said, smirking. “I can’t help myself around you, Ignis.” ___ said, lifting herself from the wall and standing up straight again, pulling him by the shirt slowly towards her. Ignis’s arms wrapped around her waist, placing one his hands on her back and allowing the other to drop low near her rear. Their faces were now inches apart. ___ continued, “Can we just…drive somewhere? Maybe we could go to my place in Lestallum…”

Ignis rested his forehead on hers and sighed. “I want nothing more than to lock you in an apartment and completely dominate you, constantly, for several days and nights.” ___ let out a staggered breath as if his words had touched her physically. “However, we both have a duty to uphold at this moment.”

“I know…do you ever wish you were just…normal?”

“I’ve certainly had my moments of frustration with the life I lead. However,” He placed a gentle kiss on her lips. “If our lives were any different our paths would never have crossed.”

___ smiled and brushed her nose on his. “I’m not sure who I like more…the hopeless romantic Ignis or the ‘I want to tie you up and make you my sex slave’ Ignis.”

He smiled broadly and let out a laugh. “Don’t give me ideas, ___.” He huskily said, then leaned forward and gently bit her lower lip. They heard the door of the bar open and a group of voices carried through the air. From their tones they could tell it was their friends. “We should head back to the motel before they worry about us.” ___ said.

“Hmm…but now I’m starting to contemplate your previous offer of driving to Lestallum to make you my sex slave…” Replied Ignis, chuckling softly at her gasps as he planted soft kisses over her cheek and neck.

“You’re the worst, Scientia.” 

Ignis withdrew his face from her neck, lifted his chin slightly and frowned at her. “Say it correctly.” 

___ scrunched her face up slightly trying to conceal her smirk. “You’re the worst,  _Mr. Scientia.”_ He leaned forward and kissed her through his smile. 

Before they got carried away in the moment again he pulled away and held her hand, guiding her back to their respective rooms, where they spent the night dreaming of escaping to Lestallum.  

[End of Part XIV]


	15. True Intentions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you would like to support me in writing this fic, I’d be seriously over the moon if you bought me a coffee on my ko-fi page: https://ko-fi.com/atarostarling  
> Please do not feel obligated!!

___’s eyes opened suddenly when Lunafreya threw the curtains apart and let the early morning sunlight burst into their room. Over the brief time ___ had spent with Lunafreya, she had grown accustomed to some of her mannerisms. Lunafreya’s adoration of the first rays of sunshine, however, was something ___ could have lived without that particular morning since she had spent most of the night awake. The Oracle stood at the window, her eyes closed feeling the warmth on her skin.

“Uuunnngghhh.” ___ grumbled from her bed in response.

Lunafreya turned and smiled at the noisy lump in the bed. ___ closed her eyes quickly, determined to get more sleep, but felt a weight sink into her mattress and knew it was inevitably time to wake up.

“Good morning, ___.” Lunafreya said sweetly.

“UUUNNNGGHH” Groaned ___.

“How was your evening?”

“Ungh.”

“Would you care to share with me why Ignis Scientia dropped you off at our room last night?”

“…Ungh.”

Lunafreya began gently patting the mound of covers ___ was under and laughed. “Come now, I know you’re awake.”

___ tossed the covers from over her, making sure that they hit Lunafreya as an act of revenge, then pulled herself up so her upper body was resting on the headboard of the bed. “Alright, I’m up.”

“So…” Lunafreya began, crossing her legs on the mattress and leaning forward excitedly. “What’s going on with you and Ignis?”

___ tried to contain her smile, but was failing miserably. “Nothing.” Lunafreya held her stare, her pale blue eyes shining with curiosity. ___ had come to realize that there was Lady Lunafreya, The Oracle, bound to her fate to hold the Starscourge at bay and cure those afflicted by the ancient curse. Then there was Luna, the young woman who had slipped so effortlessly into a sister-like role for ___ in such a short amount of time. ___ crumbled under her speculative eyes, “Alright, there’s something going on with me and Ignis.”

Lunafreya gasped, then smiled at the confirmation. “Are you two together now?”

“I don’t think so?”

“Then what  _is_  going on between the two of you?”

“I…don’t actually know how to describe it.” ___ said, a worried tone rising in her voice as she looked away.

“Perhaps the two of you should talk about it. It will do you both no good to step forward blindly, especially when the heart is concerned.”

“You’re right…I’m just worried that will scare him away, you know? What if he’s looking for just a fuck buddy?”

“___! Don’t use such a crude term! I’m sure his intentions aren’t as vulgar as you suggest.” Lunafreya scoffed, playfully batting at ___’s knee.

“Alright, alright.” ___ responded, laughing at Lunafreya’s outburst.

“He’s quite handsome, isn’t he?” Lunafreya said, giving ___ an excited smile.

“You pronounced that wrong, honey. It’s ‘He’s quite the panty dropper’.”

Lunafreya laughed heartily, but reached forward to grab a pillow to hit ___ with in protest, but ___ snatched it away just in time.

“Stop hiding behind humor, ___! I can tell you have feelings for him. If you have yet to tell him so, then you should.”

___ considered Lunafreya’s advice for a moment, knowing that a serious talk with Ignis was inevitably going to happen, but feeling terror at the thought of doing so rise within her core nonetheless. “Alright, I’ll talk to him today.” She sighed.

“Excellent.” Lunafreya said, sitting back, looking proud of herself.

“So…Luna…you and Noctis, eh? You were alone for quite some time last night.” ___ said, wiggling her eyebrows.

“We were merely catching up.” Lunafreya responded, blushing.

“Was he merely catching up with you by putting his tongue in your mouth?”

“___!” Lunafreya squeaked and lunged forward to grab the pillow, successfully obtaining it this time, and beating ___ with it. “You’re so rude!”

___ laughed at her assault. “I see you didn’t deny it though!” Lunafreya’s attacks stopped suddenly and she let out a sigh.

“He was quite sweet actually. We didn’t rush anything, we simply talked and enjoyed each other’s company again. It was wonderful.”

“That’s…disgustingly cute, Luna.”

“So what about you? What happened with you and Ignis last night after you left the bar?”

“Well…you know…we, simply talked and enjoyed each other’s company.”

“Uh huh.” Lunafreya said, incredulously.

“It’s just that his face was in between my legs.”

Lunafreya gasped and brought her hand to cover her mouth. “Truthfully?”

“Yup…” ___ said, nodding.

The Oracle looked around the room for a while, contemplating her response. She faced ___, raising an eyebrow and asked, “Was it good?”

___ let out a shocked laugh, surprised at the sudden interrogation from a seemingly innocent being. “Yes…it was incredible, actually.”

“Given he’s ‘The Strategist’ I’m sure he knew precisely what he was doing.” Quipped Lunafreya.  

“Maybe I’ll ask him to speak to Noct so he can give him some tips.” ___ said with a smirk.

Lunafreya blushed profusely and lunged forward and grabbed ___’s shoulders, shaking them as they laughed together. 

* * *

Once ___ had adorned her corseted outfit, she turned towards Lunafreya to ask for encouragement. Instead of words, Lunafreya simply walked over and gave her a reassuring hug, then adjusted her hair lovingly. ___ smiled, feeling her heart begin to pound in her chest, then nodded. Stepping outside, she looked around to try to find Ignis, knowing he would be awake at this hour before the rest of the Insomnian’s. She spotted him outside a small café, sitting at a table by himself and reading a newspaper. A waitress walked out and placed a cup of coffee at his table, she lingered there for a while admiring him. He looked up at her and smiled, and she scuttled away sheepishly.  _I know that feeling, girl._  ___ thought as she walked over to Ignis.

She stood in front of him, fidgeting with her fingers, he was so engrossed in his reading material he didn’t realize it was ___ stood before him and not the waitress asking him if he needed anything for the fifth time.

“Hey, can we talk?” ___ asked. Ignis glanced up, shocked to see her figure in front of him. He smiled at her and gestured for her to take a seat in the chair opposite him.

“Certainly.” Ignis said, folding up his newspaper and leaning back on his chair, crossing one leg over the other. ___ felt his full attention on her and began to doubt Lunafreya’s idea to talk to him about their situation, but the thought of returning to their room and reporting she had failed seemed worse somehow.

“I’ve been doing some thinking…and I…I guess I just…I…” Stammered ___, the pounding in her ears was deafening, but she could hear herself stumbling over her words enough to feel ashamed. She played with the lining of her jacket as she spoke.  _Pull yourself together, woman!_ ___ thought.  _What would Sammy think if he saw you right now?!_

“___.” Spoke Ignis, his tone slightly stern yet concerned. She looked up at him and saw him frowning. “If you feel the need to end our current arrangement then please, speak openly.”

A pit opened up in ___’s stomach. “What? No. That’s definitely not it. Is…is that something you want?”

“No, it is not.” Ignis said. ___ exhaled through her nose in relief, a reaction she couldn’t contain though she wanted to. Ignis noticed how visibly shaken ___ was at the concept of talking with him, so he smiled at her reassuringly. “Please, continue. Relax, __. Would you like a drink? Something to eat?”

“I’m good, thanks.” Ignis nodded in response and waited for her to speak. ___ sat in silence, appreciating how patient he was being. Eventually she said, “I’m sorry, as you can see I’m not very good at these types of conversations.”

“Take your time, ___.” Ignis said, his voice low. ___ felt her body tremble at the timber of his voice, memories of him kneeling before her asking to taste her seemed like a distant dream.  _This man will be the end of me,_ she thought as she tried to conjure the words she needed to speak.

“Things have been a bit…non-traditional between us. I know it’s because we lead very non-traditional lives, but still… I just want you to know that I…I’ve not been flirting with you and riling you up because I’m after one thing. Does that make sense?”

Ignis brought his coffee to his lips and took a sip of his morning Ebony, keeping his eyes transfixed on ___. He placed the mug down, and simply said, “Elaborate.” Suddenly, ___ felt herself rise to his challenge. She was beginning to understand that Ignis was always going to have a disarming effect on her, but eventually she had to be strong and confident to earn his respect.  _This is a man who won’t waste his time on a bumbling fool, after all._  She breathed in and out deeply, then leaned back on her chair, placing her leg over her knee to mirror him and began her speech.

“Our history is unusual. When we first met you didn’t even want me around. Then suddenly you let your guard down around me. Now we find ourselves in this passionate love affair overnight, it seems. I just wanted some clarification, I suppose, of how you feel about me exactly.” She leaned forward and rested her head on the back of her hand and narrowed her eyes at him. “I don’t  _really_  know who you are. I don’t know if you’re the type of man who enjoys physical relationships with people and nothing more.” Despite her valiant effort, she felt his gaze begin to lower her defenses and looked down to the table and began idly playing with the sugar packets. Her voice dropped low, “I wanted to make sure we’re on the same page, that’s all.”

Ignis pulled his chair forward, so that he could comfortably lean his arms on the table. “I see.” ___ looked up to see him, somehow despite the thresholds they had crossed, sitting at a small table across from him seemed frighteningly intimate. “In that case, I believe I owe you an apology.”

“For what?”  _For leading me on?_

“For not making my intentions known. You’re correct, our situation has bloomed in the dark without an explanation. For that…” Ignis reached his hand forward and placed it on ___’s. “I apologize.”

___ looked into his pale green eyes and felt herself blush at his sincerity. “You don’t need to apologize, Ignis.” 

“Regardless, I offer it to you. You want me to talk to you about my feelings, might I ask how _you_  feel about our situation?” Inquired Ignis.

 _That I desperately want to be yours._ “Don’t ask me that.”

“Why ever not? It hardly seems fair that I am expected to open up while you remain hidden.” Ignis asked, his eyebrow raised as he recognized that she was putting up her defenses. 

“I’m worried if I answer that honestly you’ll run away.” ___ said calmly.

Ignis considered her for a moment, then dropped his voice an octave and allowed his fingers to gently caress her hand. “Given how our evening concluded last night… do you still feel the need to avoid the question?”

___ chortled, withdrawing her hands and leaning back on her chair. She raised a finger and said, “Right, but again, I still don’t know what kind of man you are.”

“___, if I were a man who didn’t want to understand your emotions, I would not inquire about them.” Ignis said, his voice becoming stern but still reassuring. “Please. Be honest with me.”

Looking at his features, ___ allowed his words to wash over her paranoid mind. She inhaled and exhaled deeply, banishing her woes and her insecurities as Sammy had tried to teach her. She decided to speak candidly with him.  “…You know back when we first met? I used to get so nervous around you. Poking fun at you with Noct was my way of trying to get some control over myself. You’d just have to look at me and my heart would beat fast. Despite your indifference towards me, I was drawn to you. God, I even looked forward to the part of the day where I would get to help you cut fucking vegetables. No one likes chopping vegetables, Ignis.” Ignis chuckled, which made ___ begin to giggle, feeling herself become more at ease around him. When their merriment died down, she asked, “Do you know why I left that night when we argued?”

“Yes, it was because of what I accused you of.”

“It wasn’t just that, Ignis. Though, yes, it was a pretty shitty thing to say to me.” Ignis bowed his head, showing his regret over his actions. “But I’m a big girl – I can stand my ground. I left because… because what you said was…well, it was coming from  _you.”_ Ignis’s sad eyes looked up at hers, noticing how her eyes began to shine as she reflected on their quarrel.“I couldn’t bear to look you in the eyes knowing that’s what you were thinking of me. However, ever since Lestallum our relationship has developed in a way that’s honestly making my head spin.” ___ held out both her hands and began replicating a tipping scale with them, “One day I’m silently pissed off at you, then I’m arguing with you, after that we’ve reconciled, the next thing I know you’re flirting with me, the day after that we’re making out against a tree…and then last night…” ___ let out a shuddered sigh at the memory and dropped her hands into her lap. “Honestly, it’s been like Leviathan’s tsunami.”

A silence fell between them for a while as Ignis contemplated what she had said. He leaned up and sat straight in his chair. “Might I take a moment to explain my side of this situation?”

“I’d like that.” ___ said, nodding her head.

“It’s true, I was distrusting of you when we first met. You were clearly trained in combat and being outside of the Crown City made me cautious of everyone’s intentions. Especially when escorting the heir to the throne. You eased yourself so seamlessly into the group. I didn’t understand it, I was…envious of it.” Ignis was looking away from ___ as he spoke, his brow furrowed as he contemplated his faults. “That envy clouded my judgement. I made a colossal mistake in accusing you of being anything other than an ally. After you left, everyone lost their temper at me and didn’t speak to me for days, did you know that?” Ignis looked at ___.

“No.”

“It’s true, they were furious at me. For good reason. I had driven away their friend for a petty reason. It was when they told me that you had led them to the Niflheim base purely for my benefit, to retrieve a gift for me, that I realized what a fool I had been.” The Strategist leaned forward on his chair, clasping his gloved fingers in front of him and resting his forearms on the table. He looked deep into her eyes as he spoke.

“I thought about you every day that you were gone, ___. When you found us in Lestallum you had changed; you had become independent, you seemed to have grown as a woman. I admired you. Even Gladiolus noticed a change in my temperament in your presence.” ___ pushed the air from her nose as she smiled and glanced away from his intense stare, embarrassed at his praise. He continued, “However, you were preparing to depart on a pilgrimage and I greatly respected that. I, too, know the importance of duty. I was going to be the last person in the world to stand in your way, despite myself experiencing…certain desires.” ___ flicked her eyes up to meet his lidded eyes floating over her body. The half-smile on her face broadened as he reached his hand forward and lightly ran a finger over hers. The waitress came bustling out of the café and stood beside them momentarily, their eyes however, remained transfixed on one another. Deflated, she made her way back inside.

Ignis withdrew his hand and continued. “The morning after you received the Rakuyo you asked me how I felt about you, and honestly I was ready to say that I could not explore my feelings for you. You wouldn’t have been the first woman that I have had to turn down because of my role in the Lucian monarchy, but when you asked me what I wanted from you…I felt a change within me.” Ignis brought his now clasped hands up to his mouth as he reflected. “For years I had chosen duty over pleasure, I had trained myself to deny my desires when they became too involved. But the look in your eyes changed something within me.” ___ realized she had been holding her breath and slowly exhaled, trying not to let her breath waver. Ignis placed his hands back down on the table. “For the first time in my life I acted on my desires without fear of where it would take us. I admit that I might have been a little…overenthusiastic. Had I known it would lead you to doubt me, I would have shown more restraint.”

___ gathered her inner strength, and uttered. “It’s ok, Ignis. I understand.”

“No, it’s not ok, because despite the pleasures we’ve shared I have not been forthcoming about my intentions and I’ve caused you discomfort.” He reached out and took both of her hands in his own, looking at her with pleading eyes. The look of concern gracing his features made her heart strings constrict. She became aware of a door opening across the road from where they sat, and heard the sounds of Prompto and Gladiolus whispering to each other as they witnessed the scene unfolding in front of them. Ignis didn’t seem to pay them any attention, so she sat up straight and said, “Well, why don’t we take the time right now and disclose our intentions directly?”

Ignis matched her posture, smiling slightly and nodded at her proposal. Still holding onto her hands, he began, “Very well. Let me start by saying that we live in troubled times. Today we can be sitting here just like this, tomorrow we could be fighting for our lives. However, for as long as we can, I want to allow ourselves respite in all this chaos. I want this not because I simply want to satiate a primal urge, but because I care about you deeply. Knowing that your fate in protecting Noctis aligns with my own makes me wonder if the Gods themselves set this union in motion…”

___ tried to ignore Prompto and Gladiolus advancing closer to their table, trying to appear inconspicuous, and allowed herself to feel the adrenaline that was rushing through her system at what Ignis had just confessed to her. She tried to keep her tears of relief from forming by blinking her eyes, then managed to whisper, “Can I kiss you?”

Ignis smiled, squeezing her hands a little tighter. “Not before you tell me  _your_  intentions, Miss Tueri.”

___ let out a laugh and shook her head. “Right. Of course!” She dipped her head and contemplated her words, before lifting her face to look at him as she spoke. “Please know that I’m not trying to escape telling you how I feel when I say this but…I truly feel the same way you do. I know that the future looms large over our heads, but when I have a moment to breathe and not worry about being some Dragon Knight…I want to be with you.” ___ noticed a change in Ignis’s eyes as she confessed her feelings for him. He was blinking slowly as her words resonated within him. “I’m falling for you, Ignis. I have been from the moment we met.”

The Strategist stood up, making the nearby Prompto and Gladiolus jump and scuttle away. He lifted her hand and gently pulled her up to standing, then wrapped his arms around her. Leaning forward, he closed the distance between them as he placed a tender kiss on her lips. She managed to fall deep into his embrace, despite knowing that Noctis and Lunafreya had now joined the crowd observing their display of affection. Their shocked responses sounded like a foreign language in her ears as she felt Ignis’s soft lips caress her own. Ignis slowly pulled his face away, but ___ placed soft kisses on his lips as he did, trying to lure him back in.

“You do know everyone is staring at us right now?” ___ asked.

“Have you forgotten that I’ve been meticulously trained to analyze my entire surroundings at all times?”

“So, you’re sure you’re ok with everyone knowing about us?”

Ignis placed his hand on the back of her head and pulled her towards him, his lips pressed firmly against ___’s mouth as he teased it open and slipped his tongue inside. ___ felt both panic at being openly on display, but highly aroused that Ignis was unashamed of showing her his feelings in front of his comrades. Once he pulled away, ___’s eyes remained closed a couple of seconds longer, dazed at his sudden outburst of passion.

“Will that answer suffice?” 

[End of Part XV]


	16. Frogs and Cactuars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you would like to support me in writing this fic, I’d be seriously over the moon if you bought me a coffee on my ko-fi page: https://ko-fi.com/atarostarling  
> Please do not feel obligated!!

“Come on Luna, just answer the question!” Asked ___ in hushed tones.

“I refuse to answer!” Lunafreya retorted, flustered.

“All I want to know is which of them do you think has the best butt, it’s harmless!” ___ said with a smile.

Lunafreya and ___ were sat on a rock nearby to the four Insomnian’s, who had no idea what the topic of their conversation was. They were currently running an errand for a renowned biologist, she wanted them to collect frogs for her research. While they were looking high and low for the pesky amphibians, Lunafreya and ____ decided to sun themselves on a large boulder after already spotting the first four targets. Convinced that the boys were relying too heavily on them, they retired to their rock to let them finish the work. They admired the sparkling lake beside them, whilst laughing at the boys’ anguish when they would spin around trying to locate the origin of the taunting croaks.

“Alright…on the count of 3 we’ll answer together, ok?” Reasoned ___.

“No, ___!” Lunafreya remarked.

“3…”

“This is ridiculous.”

“2…”

“I’m not falling for this trap.”

“1…”

“Forget it, ___!”

“Gladio!”

“Gladio!”

___’s mouth formed the shape of an “o” as she looked at Lunafreya, who was hiding her smile behind her palm. “Did you ladies call for me?” Gladiolus asked from the distance, hands on his hips, smirking at them.

“No!” Lunafreya shrieked.

“Yeah, we did, bend over for us. We’re enjoying the show from up here!” ___ called over. Lunafreya had desperately scrambled to cover ___’s mouth, but couldn’t overpower The Draconian, who laughed as she spoke.The four Lucian’s looked at each other, shaking their heads and mumbling to themselves. 

“You could be  _helping_ us instead of perving on us, you know!” Noctis called out.

“Yes! Of course!” Lunafreya exclaimed, getting up from the rock.

“Wait! Don’t give in! They need to learn to be independent!” ___ said, grabbing onto Lunafreya’s legs. While they were travelling they decided it would be for the best if The Oracle adorned casual clothing as to avoid being recognized. She opted to wear a navy-blue tunic, with black leggings underneath that featured a floral design up the side of the legs, and simple black and white pumps. Her usual bright blonde hair was now auburn, ___ had suggested applying a temporary dye to disguise her striking locks.

“I don’t mind, honestly! Besides, if we allow them to continue at this rate we’ll be here all day.” Lunafreya said, trying to wriggle away from ___’s clutches, who then released her legs and replied.

“Truer words have never been spoken, Lady Oracle.”

Lunafreya bopped ___ on the head at her choice of nickname and descended the rock. Looking over the lake, ___ felt a sense of calm spread over her. Listening to her friends talk and laugh, knowing that these tranquil moments were going to be a rare occurrence soon, made her appreciate the feeling of contentment at the bonds she had secured with these people. It was quite the contradiction to the horror she had felt while fleeing her home months prior.  

“Are you alright, ___?” It was Ignis, who had climbed onto the boulder and moved to sit down next to her.

“I am.” ___ said, smiling at The Strategist who lowered himself to sit close enough to her for their arms to touch.

Since Ignis and ___ had confessed their feelings to each other their relationship had taken an interesting turn. They had begun talking to each other into the dead of the night, sharing stories of their lives and thoughts on various subjects they found fascinating. Since they were living in close proximity to their companions they rarely found a moment of privacy to relive their more passionate moments, but the familiarity they were beginning to develop felt almost as intimate. A lingering glance, a hand on the small of her back, an arm slipping around her waist, or a soft kiss to her head made ___ feel the same electricity she had felt behind the bar that one fateful evening. However, ___’s blood still ran hot when she was around Ignis, so to make up for their lack of privacy she had often resorted to sending him obscene text messages from her and Lunafreya’s tent in the evenings.

“You might find it amusing to hear that I have located the remaining frogs, but decided it was against my better interest to reveal their hiding places.” Ignis said, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, a playful smirk creeping onto his plump lips.  _Of course he did,_ ___ thought to herself as she laughed.

“You’re such a bad boy, Ignis.” ___ said, bumping his side. “How come you haven’t told them?” He chuckled as he balanced himself, then wrapped an arm around her so his hand rested on the very top of her thigh.

“At first it was because I wanted Noctis to complete this task, having agreed to it himself after all. However, when I saw you up here I found myself wanting to prolong our visit so I could keep you company.” His hand began softly gripping her and she rested her head on her shoulder and looked up at him.

“As much as I love those guys…I wish we were alone right now.” ___ sighed.

“As do I.” Ignis said as his jade eyes looked deep into hers. Their eyes glanced over to where their friends were still looking for the seemingly invisible frogs, their figures edged further into the distance as their attention was completely on the ground. Ignis reached his hand up and held her chin with his thumb and forefinger, then gently pulled her face towards his and placed a soft, lingering kiss on her lips. They pulled away from each other smiling gently, then ___ rested her head on his shoulder while Ignis’s arm held her close to his side. Despite their companions knowing that they shared a connection, they tried to keep their displays of affection away from their gaze as much as possible having both agreed they didn’t want to make anyone feel uncomfortable. As ___ closed her eyes and felt Ignis’s body beside her, she heard Prompto yelling from the distance.

“ _You guys are adorable!”_ ___ opened her eyes to see the blonde waving his camera around, an indication that he had taken yet another voyeuristic photograph of them. They would have minded his intrusions, but given his prowess behind the lens his snapshots were a sweet reminder of their blooming romance.

“Yes, we know!” Ignis called out, which made ___ bolt upright in surprise to his response. Ignis turned to her and flashed her a wide smile, one that made ___ feel that by witnessing it she was privy to a life altering secret.

* * *

After the last frog was gingerly caught by Noctis, he placed it in the cage with the others and they all reconvened to walk back to the Regalia. They reached a clearing, where they spotted a single Cactuar laying on the floor.

“Aww, how cute!” Prompto exclaimed, whipping out his camera and taking some pictures.

“Don’t get too close, Prompto, they’re easily spooked.” ___ said, placing a hand on her hip.

“But…look at it! Imma go take a selfie with it.” Prompto responded.

“Prom! I swear to God if you cause an ambush of those bastards I’ll kill you!” ___ said, flabbergasted as he slowly approached the prickly creature. They all stood watching him edging closer.

“He’s actually insane.” Noctis muttered, putting down the cage of frogs.

“This should be good.” Gladiolus said, crossing his arms.

The Cactuar remained laying on the floor, as if posing, as Prompto crept over. He held out the camera in front of him as he carefully laid down next to it, trying to contain his excitement at being so close, then threw up a peace sign and snapped the photograph. Immediately the Cactuar sprung to life and a hoard of the animated prickly plants circled Prompto and began pelting him with their bodies.

“AHHHH!” The Quicksilver screamed, summoning his gun and trying to shoot them away from him.

“What did I say? WHAT DID I SAY?” ___ screamed as she watched Ignis, Gladiolus and Noctis run forward to help their friend. Lunafreya summoned her Trident, but remained by ___’s side. During their time travelling their battle tactics had naturally formulated: ___ would focus on protecting Lunafreya, who would concentrate on assisting them with her gift with white magic, whilst Prompto, Ignis and Gladiolus joined the fray with Noctis. Occasionally if the challenge was particularly difficult, ___ would step in to help take down the enemy before retreating back to her place by Lunafreya’s side.

The Cactuar invasion was currently focused around the Lucian’s, so the ladies watched as the men frantically swung their weapons around trying to land a blow on the swarm. The mischievous creatures ran circles around them, frequently kicking them when their backs were turned. ___ couldn’t help but smirk at their efforts, she glanced over to Lunafreya who also seemed to share the same sentiment.

“HOLD STILL, DAMMIT!” Gladio roared as he tried to swing his broadsword over one of them, who gleefully hopped onto The Shield’s weapon and kicked Gladio in the face. Ignis twirled around in position, not attempting to strike unless the odds were in his favor of being able to land a blow.

“Behind you, Ignis!” ___ called out and watched as Ignis spun and jumped to perform a back flip to avoid contact with the spiked menace.

“I love it when he does that.” ___ said to Lunafreya, who elbowed her gently in return. Ignis turned to see Gladio raise his shield as a disgruntled Cactuar began displaying the telltale signs of unleashing a deadly blow of spines. The Strategist glanced to Noctis and Prompto, who seemed to be in control of their own pest situation, so he sprinted to assist The Shield in his plight.

“Wait…Ignis…where are you going?” ___ mumbled as she saw a wave of Cactuar’s make their way over to Noctis and Prompto, who were now back to back trying to shoot them away. A bullet hit the side of one of the Cactuar’s, causing it to spin on its leg. It vibrated in anger, then began priming itself for a big attack. ___ knew they were about to be in trouble.

“Call me if you need me.” ___ said to The Oracle as she summoned the Rakuyo and launched into a sprint towards the Prince. Just as the Cactuar’s arms began to piston up and down, ___ swung her lance and sent the green demon flying into the sky. Noctis spun around to witness his savior.

“Nice, ___!”

___ immediately looked around towards Lunafreya, who was unaware of the stray Cactuar edging its way over to her, determined to take out its frustration on her. ___ crouched low to the ground, Noctis and Prompto felt as if the gravity around her was pushing them away, then she rocketed into the air. Their eyes tried to follow her form into the sky, then they looked towards Lunafreya to witness ___ slamming the point of the Rakuyo down onto the Cactuar who had chosen the wrong girl to mess with. ___ hadn’t noticed the second Cactuar immediately behind it, already primed to unleash a thousand needles at them, and she braced herself as the Cactuar’s spines were flung into her skin all up the left side of her body as she shielded The Oracle. Lunafreya erected a golden barrier around them both, the majority of the spines bounced from the magical wall.

“___! Are you ok?!” Lunafreya exclaimed. ___ looked at her side in shock, seeing hundreds of glistening spines embedded into her skin.

A foreign sensation swept through ___’s body as she cursed herself for the mistake of identifying the second Cactuar. She threw her arm out and the Rakuyo floated before her, the two smaller blades that surrounded the central spear detached themselves and the pole of the Rakuyo was dismissed. ___ thrust her hands out and grabbed the two daggers, twirling them in her hands as she slowly began to walk towards the Lucian’s. Her body felt as if it were floating, time seemed to slow down as she quickly identified every Cactuar in front of her. Twisting her torso from side to side, she flung the daggers around the battlefield towards each Cactuar, summoning back the blades in her hands to then release them once more into the next target without hesitation. Her eyes darted around the vicinity, her lightning fast reflexes taking over her, feeling her body react before her mind could catch up.

The Lucian’s stopped their attacks and turned to see ___ annihilate every target, her underhanded throw of the blades penetrating every pest on the battlefield. Ignis stared at her in disbelief, noting that her eyes had begun glowing a shade of purple as she dominated the fight. The remaining Cactuar’s fled the scene, knowing they had been bested. 

When the area was clear, ___ dropped to her knees and threw out her hands in front of her to prevent herself from falling completely to the ground. The world was spinning around her, she heard voices but they sounded muffled and distant. Cold beads of sweat burned into her skin as she tried to calm her trembling body.  _What just happened?!_ She thought, panicking, her breath quickening. The earth was falling away from her, then she realized she was being lifted from the ground, her head lolled into the chest of the one who was now carrying her in their arms. The familiar notes of bergamot, ginger, and vetiver made their way into her nostrils, she knew before she managed to lift her heaving head to look at his face that it was Ignis who had lifted her off the ground.

* * *

“Careful!” ___ yelped as Noctis pulled one of the hundreds of spines from her body. He had accidentally brushed his hand against the remaining spines which tugged on her delicate skin. Ignis immediately left the kitchen area and stood over Noctis’s shoulder.

“Noct, do you want me to continue?”

“No, I got it, I got it. My hand just slipped.”

___ had regained consciousness at a nearby safe haven, Lunafreya had been applying a cold towel to her brow when her eyes opened and focused on The Oracle. Lunafreya had heaved a sigh of relief and informed the others, Ignis was already at her side removing the spines from her body while she was asleep. He had managed to finish her leg, before Noctis had offered to take over while Ignis cooked.

“Where’s Gladio and Prompto?” ___ asked, looking around.

“They went to give the frogs to Professor Sania **.** ” Lunafreya replied, handing ___ a glass of water to drink.

“Ah, ok. Remind me to kill Prompto when he returns.” ___ replied. Noctis snickered and Lunafreya tapped his shoulder with the back of her hand. 

“He was feeling quite remorseful for what happened, ___, might I suggest you go easy on him.” Ignis said, his back turned from them as he prepared the evenings meal. 

“Are you sure you’re alright, ___?” Lunafreya asked, her soft palm reached out to cup her cheek.

“Yes, I’m fine now. Really.” ___ said reassuringly. The Oracle smiled and nodded, then stood and walked over to help Ignis.

“So what happened back there, ___?” Noctis asked, his brow furrowing as he continued pulling the spines from her torso.

“I have an idea, but I could be wrong…” ___ said, hesitating.

“Oh?” Noctis asked, glancing up at her face.

“I might have been channeling Bahamut’s power temporarily through the Rakuyo.”

“You can do that?”

“Clearly not very well. When I begin my real training then I’ll have the strength to channel his power without it overwhelming me like that. Until then I need to be careful.”

“So where does this ‘real’ training happen?” Asked Noctis, who had temporarily paused his work on removing the spines from her body to look at her.

“I…actually don’t know. I suppose I’ll find out from the next Messenger. Oh look, they’re back.”

Gladiolus and Prompto approached the campsite, with a couple of bags full of supplies. Prompto saw ___ awake and looked to the ground immediately. He disappeared into the tent while ___ eyed him the entire time. Noctis looked up at ___ and smiled. “You’re gonna give him hell, aren’t you?”

She raised her finger to her lips and shook her head. “I just want to see him squirm.” She whispered. Eventually, Prompto emerged from the tent and approached ___, his arms behind his back.

“Uhh…Noct, can I have a minute?”

“Sure.” Noctis replied, leaving ___ and Prompto alone.

Prompto sat down in the chair next to ___, his face bright red. He opened and closed his mouth, his words failed to escape his lips. Eventually he threw his hands in her direction holding a photo album and a small box. “I’m so sorry!” He squeaked while scrunching his face, “Please don’t kill me! I promise I’ll listen to you from now on!”

___ blinked in disbelief at his offering, then took the gifts from his trembling hands and opened the box to find a slice of a delicious cake inside. Her eyes widened in excitement, she looked at Prompto who nodded towards the photo album. “I made it for you.” She placed the box down then opened up the book and flicked through pages upon pages of pictures of her and the Insomnian’s chronicling their time together. The opening pages displayed the very first night they spent together, while the last page showed the picture Prompto had taken of her resting her head on Ignis’s shoulder by the lake earlier that day. She noticed a few pictures that she hadn’t seen before, including a picture of her sleeping on Ignis’s chest in the Regalia, which made her blush profusely. “Can you forgive me?” Prompto asked, a small smile appearing through his worry. Tears were forming in her eyes from his generosity.

“Oh, come here, you!” ___ grabbed his vest and pulled him forward, she clasped his head between her palms and planted a quick, innocent kiss on his mouth. Prompto’s eyes widened as she held his head and smiled at his shocked expression. When she released his face he grinned wickedly, looking around to see if his friends were watching. ___ followed his gaze and discovered that, indeed, everyone had observed their exchange and were smiling.

“Ignis, she kissed me! Maybe that means I’ve finally taken the number one spot!” Prompto blurted out as he stood up to dance in celebration. Ignis shook his head, returning back to focus on the stove.

“What is he talking about?” Lunafreya asked Noctis, amused at his dance moves.

“___ ranked us by most attractive a long time ago. Prompto came second to Ignis.”

“Why doesn’t ___ making such a list surprise me?” Lunafreya replied, smiling over at ___, who shrugged in response. Prompto had begun firing bullets from his finger guns towards Ignis, who was stirring a pot of food seemingly unaffected by his gloating.

“Aww yeah, I’m gonna steal your girl, Iggy!”

“Is that so?” Ignis asked, smirking at the blonde who was still bouncing around him in an imaginary assault. 

“It all starts with just one kiss, Specs. That’s it now, she’s had a taste so she’ll come running after me.”

___ couldn’t help but laugh at how much Prompto was trying to push Ignis’s buttons, but the Strategist remained composed. “Hmm…I see.” Ignis replied, turning his attention away from his cooking and placing a contemplative hand on his chin.

“Hah! Looks like he’s finally seeing the light! It appears you are now  _my_  girl, ___.” Prompto said, as he sat in the chair next to her, taking her hand. Prompto released a comically loud sigh. “I always knew we were meant to be together, you and I.”

“Oh really? And do you suppose I get to have a say in this matter?” Asked ___, trying not to laugh. Prompto tilted his head to one side in mock adoration.

“No, it’s just…written in the stars I suppose!”

“I hope you don’t feed all the girls that sort of crap, Prompto.” Gladio said as he began his early evening set of push-ups.

“Only for the special ladies.” Prompto said, winking at ___. “Maybe it’s time we seal the deal and make out a little?” He exaggeratingly puckered up his lips and began slowly leaning forward, humming as he did so.

Before ___ could react, a gloved hand shoved Prompto’s face back into his chair, freeing her hands from his clutches. A firm grip wrapped around the arm that wasn’t inflicted with Cactuar spines and she was hoisted to standing. Her face was inches from Ignis’s; he reached up and whipped off his glasses and tossed them into Prompto’s lap, then pulled ___ in for an intensely passionate kiss. She could hear Prompto’s cries of distress as Ignis pushed his tongue into her mouth to meet her own and massaged it. Her body relaxed into his as he held her firmly against his body, claiming her. Suddenly, he released her and she fell back into her chair, her lips swollen slightly and her eyes full of longing. Ignis looked down at his work and turned to Prompto to smirk and raise an eyebrow, he snatched his glasses from Prompto’s lap and walked back to continue cooking. “It appears she’s no longer under your spell, Prompto. Remember this moment the next time you attempt to steal my girl.”

___’s mouth opened and closed as her cheeks flushed.  _He just called me his girl…_  she thought as her heart did somersaults in her chest. Prompto looked over at her, grinning, knowing that he was responsible for Ignis’s sudden outburst of affection. ___ looked over to Noctis, Lunafreya and Gladio, who all gave her thumbs up, making her pink blush turn crimson. “Help me out with these, would you, P?” ___ said, as she began removing the spines from her arm to distract herself from her thumping heart.

[End of Part XVI]


	17. Rest and Recuperation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After a brief hiatus I am back to writing this fic!! Thank you for all the kudos and comments, it means SO much to me that people are reading and enjoying!! I'm doing this purely for fun so it's a wonderful feeling when people come along for the ride. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Standing by the railings just outside Lestallum, ___’s eyes followed the curvatures of the roads snaking into the horizon. As she watched the cars in the distance move along the concrete veins, she wondered about the people inside the vehicles; who was driving, where were they going, what were their lives like? Playing this imaginary game was a way for her to step out of her own insane life for a short while, finding the process to be soothing. 

The soldiers who once infested the streets of her temporary home were gone, on to the next hive to swarm. Lunafreya had requested an evening in Lestallum, a place she had heard so much about but had never visited. Tomorrow they would be setting sail to Altissia so The Oracle could perform the covenant with the sea goddess, Leviathan. Ignis had worked tirelessly to conduct a plan that saw Noctis visit the last of the Royal Tombs, Lunafreya communicate with the last known Astral and ___ visit the next Draconian temple. Their lives were about to skyrocket into chaos, so Lunafreya’s idea to spend one last night to be together was a way to escape the worry and concern for their futures temporarily; to simply enjoy themselves. The Oracle and The Draconian had spent the afternoon shopping for a new dress to wear to a music bar that ___ had recommended, but just outside the dress shop Noctis had intercepted and asked to be alone with Lunafreya. ___ was more than happy to wander the streets alone, which is how she had ended up at her favorite look out point.

“Lost in thought?” A familiar voice sounded beside her. Glancing to her right, Ignis was mirroring her by resting his forearms on the railing, also looking into the distance. When The Strategist didn’t hear a response he turned to see ___ smiling coyly at him.

“I’m sorry, have we met?” ___ replied.

“Apologies, you simply look like someone I know quite well.” Ignis said, playing along with her game.

“Oh yeah? What is she like?” Responded ___, turning away from the view to lean confidently on the railing with her arms folded. Ignis stood up straight, a hand placed on the bar.

“She’s the most beautiful woman in the world.”

___’s heart constricted tight within her chest, Ignis noticed her smile fade into a shocked expression. Suddenly, she giggled. “I can’t believe you just said that!”

“Is there something wrong with being truthful?” Ignis replied, unflinching under her teasing, an eyebrow raised. ___ met his emerald eyes, feeling panic sweep her body. The sensation of fear was a regular occurrence for ___ when her mind knocked on the door to her heart and informed it that Ignis Scientia had feelings for her. From experience, she knew it was best to wait silently for her heart to resume its regular beating pattern before continuing. Releasing a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, ___ smiled and stepped closer to him, lowering her gaze in submission to his adoration. He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her gently into a hug.

“I suppose moments like this will be rare from here on out, huh?” ___ said softly.

“Yes, I believe so.” Ignis replied.

“Where’s Prompto when you actually want him to take a picture?” ___ said, laughing into his chest.

“I’m sure I won’t need a photograph to remember this moment.” Ignis pulled away from her and stared deep into her eyes.

“___, Ignis!” Lunafreya’s voice travelled to them as they saw her descending the staircase towards them, hand in hand with a blushing Noctis who trailed behind.

“Hey, lovebirds!” ___ said as she turned towards them, staying close to Ignis, his arm still draped around her shoulders. Noctis released Lunafreya’s hand and began playing with his hair, The Oracle simply smiled at his embarrassment. “___, shall we begin getting ready for our evening? I can’t wait to see your apartment!”

“Absolutely! Alright, we’ll see you boys later. Meet you at the bar around 8?”

* * *

“What do you think?” ___ asked Lunafreya, giving her a twirl.

“Very sensual, ___. Though I thought you would be showing me your new dress and not just your underwear?” The Oracle replied from the vanity where she was applying makeup. ___ stood with a hand on her hip in a lacey black and purple ensemble.

“What you wear underneath a dress is almost as important as the dress itself! The confidence it provides will make you glow.” Replied ___ gesturing dramatically.

“Uh huh” Lunafreya replied, looking at ___ through the reflection in the mirror, “or is it important tonight because you’re hoping a certain someone will see it with his own eyes?”

___ smirked. “Maybe…” She turned on her heels and went back to her bedroom to slip on her dress. When ___ emerged minutes later Lunafreya turned in her stool and looked at her in wonder.

“You look simply beautiful, ___.” The Oracle said. ___ twirled around in her simple red dress that hugged her figure in all the right places and flowed majestically from her hips as she moved.

“Thanks! Hey, are you gonna get ready? We should probably meet the guys.” ___ began collecting her belongings and put them in a black clutch, then sat on her couch and drafted a text message while Lunafreya went to change in the bedroom.

 **___:** _Are you guys at the bar? We’re on our way now._

 **Ignis:** _Everyone but me, I’m still organizing our passage to Altissia._

 **___:** _Thanks for arranging that. How long will it take?_

 **Ignis:** _Hopefully not too much longer._

 **___:** _Will I be getting a dance out of you tonight, sir?_

 **Ignis:** _Perhaps…depends on how nicely you ask me._

“Does this look acceptable, ___?” Lunafreya asked. She wore a figure hugging white dress that looked simple from the front but the back had an elaborate criss-cross pattern revealing her skin. ___ had soothed her that it wasn’t “too much” when she had tried it on in the store. 

“Noct isn’t going to know what to do with himself.”

* * *

Walking into the bar arm in arm with Lunafreya, ___ scanned the room and felt the sense of nostalgia take over her. She had spent many nights in this very bar dancing her troubles away. From the doorway the bar stretched to the back of the room to a group of tables and booths, a dance floor filled with patrons was before them, and a bar stood to their left. From the ceiling hung strings of exposed light bulbs zigzagging all the way around the room. ___ recalled the times when she would squint and imagine they were floating stars hanging above her. Art work from local artists hung from the wall, in the day time ___ recalled this establishment also serving as a café where people gathered to talk and relax. At night it transformed into a vibrant club. Lunafreya gasped in wonder as ___ led her around the edge of the dance floor. When they neared the seating area she spied someone frantically waving their arms at them.

“Over here!” Prompto called out from a large table in the corner of the room, he ceased his waving and hung his mouth open when they got closer. “You guys look amazing!” He continued, his camera already out as he took multiple pictures of them from varying angles. Next to Prompto sat Noctis, and across the table with his back to them was Gladiolus.

“Took you two long enough to get ready, it’s a good thing you both look gorgeous.” Gladio said, taking them off guard with his compliment.

“Why, thank you!” ___ replied sincerely, noticing Noctis hadn’t taken his eyes from Lunafreya, his mouth agape. “You all look dashing yourselves.”

Gladio wore a fitted grey t-shirt and dark jeans, covering up more skin than ___ was used to, which strangely made him look more appealing to her. Prompto opted to wear a white t-shirt that featured a water color style black skull print, a blue shirt on top of it unbuttoned and black pants that were adorned with a bandanna and a silver chain. Noctis was wearing a similar outfit to Prompto, though he had opted for darker shades overall and less accessories.

“Is Ignis still working?” Lunafreya asked, concerned, sitting down in the chair Noctis had clearly been reserving for her. ___ took the seat at the end of the table, strategically in a place where she could spot Ignis as soon as he decided to show up. As if reading her mind, she looked to her left and saw The Strategist enter the bar.

“Looks like he’s finished!” Prompto said, pointing to the entrance of the bar. ___ clenched her teeth refraining the urge to let her jaw hang. He had adorned himself completely in simple black clothing, opting for a long-sleeved button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and black trousers. Despite his outfit not being too different from his usual attire, ___ found the simplicity of his clothing incredibly alluring. Walking confidently toward their table with a hand in his pocket, scanning the room as he usually did in new buildings, he brought a hand up to run his fingers through his hair. ___ noticed the sight of his un-gloved hands, sending her mind racing with thoughts of what they would feel like on her naked body, making her tremble. She snapped her eyes shut for a moment and tried to summon her own confidence to display to him. Before he had reached the table, she stood up and said, “Who wants to dance with me?”

“That sounds like fun!” Lunafreya exclaimed and stood up too, Noctis’s eyes followed her figure as she walked around him to join ___.

When Ignis reached their table he stopped in his tracks and gazed over ___’s body, taking in her crimson dress as she walked hand in hand with Lunafreya to the dance floor. Her devilish red dress swayed as she strode towards him, chest lifted high, the black heeled shoes she wore lengthened her bare legs; she flicked her eyes over to him when she passed by, looking him up and down, a sinful smile playing on her lips. Ignis narrowed his eyes at her, he knew immediately she was trying to bait him, but nonetheless their worlds seem to play in slow motion as the electricity between them sparked.

When her back was to him, ___ couldn’t help but pick out the lyrics of the song that was playing, giggling to herself as if the DJ knew what was happening.

 _Look at him look at me, that boy is bad and honestly he’s a wolf in disguise,  
_ _But I can’t stop staring in those evil eyes._

Ignis arrived at the table and pulled out a chair next to Gladiolus, who slapped his back as soon as he sat down.

“Iggy, it’s about time you took a load off, want a beer?”

“Whiskey, on the rocks.”

“You got it.” Gladiolus raised his finger and a nearby waitress who had been wiping the same spoon for fifteen minutes while she stared at The Shield rushed over to take his order. Gladio placed the order and winked at her; she rushed away, a blush threatening to spread from her cheeks over her entire face.

“Alright, it’s gonna be a good night, fellas, I can feel it.” Gladiolus said, rubbing his hands together and leaning forward conspiratorially as his friends laughed at his enthusiasm. “Listen. Our path has been crazy up until now, I can’t imagine what’s on the horizon for us, but as long as we look out for each other we’ll be fine. We just need to stand by each other, got it?”

Prompto, Noctis and Ignis shared a glance between one another, nodding their heads in agreement. The waitress appeared over Gladiolus’s shoulder and placed Ignis’s drink down. Ignis turned around and handed her the payment, looking her in the eyes and smiling at her for the helpful service. She stood momentarily holding the note, lips parted, looking between The Shield and The Strategist, wondering how it was possible for two insanely attractive men to be in the same room as one another. Shaking her head in disbelief, she turned and left. Gladiolus raised his beer and the others followed suit with their own beverages of choice. “To Insomnia…for what it was and what it  _will_ be.”

“Insomnia.” They all said in unison, clinking their glasses together and taking a long drink.

“Noct, why don’t you go dance with her?” Prompto said, elbowing his best friend, who blushed and stared into his beer bottle pretending he hadn’t been glancing over at Lunafreya’s figure swaying over Ignis and Gladiolus’s shoulder.

“I’ll need a few more of these before I do that.”

Gladiolus turned his body so he could see the girls, who noticed his eyes watching them and tried to summon him up to dance. He laughed at their gesturing but ignored them, looking around the room.

“Look at that… every damn man in this bar is looking at our girls dancing and you two are sat here like a couple of sad sacks.” Gladiolus said, shoving Ignis, who shook his head and elbowed his hand away.

“What does that make us then, Gladio?!” Prompto exclaimed, sitting up straight in his chair.

“Eligible bachelors of course. Right now it’s not looking good though, I’ve not seen anyone who’s caught my attention. I’m kinda tired of the shy girl types.”

Ignis took a sip of his drink. “There’s a large group of girls who have been staring at you since I walked in, Gladio.” He observed.

“Yeah, I know it.” Gladio replied, nodding his head, a self-satisfied smirk on his lips.

Prompto slammed down his glass and slumped into his chair, arms folded. “It’s not fair! I’d kill for that sort of attention.”

“Then go talk to someone!” Noctis exclaimed, hitting his friend in the ribs.

“I can’t just walk up to girls on my own, it looks creepy! Come with me!” The blonde responded, gripping onto Noctis’s arm.

“Alright, alright!” The Prince replied, shaking off his needy friend and standing up to escort him in finding a date for the evening.

Ignis glanced over to Gladio, who was still facing the dance floor smiling at the girls. Ignis finished his drink and turned in his chair to join the audience. He kicked himself mentally for not directing his attention to ___ earlier, as he began to unashamedly stare at her dance with Lunafreya, watching her body contort perfectly with the pulse of the music. Her smile lit her face as she interlocked her fingers with Lunafreya’s, raising their arms in the air as they sang along to the words in the song.

_That boy is a monster_

Ignis noticed a young woman who had been frowning in ___’s direction from a bar stool for some time. Her long, flowing auburn hair cascaded past her shoulders, but Ignis noted that the side of her scalp was shaved revealing the large black ring through the lobe of her ear. She hopped down off her bar stool and began to walk across the dance floor, walking with complete authority, her hourglass figure accentuated by the black corset she wore, the short tight skirt wrapped her legs that were adorned with black and white striped tights. The Strategist had noted the numerous men and women vying for her attention, which was firmly set on ___. Ignis gripped the back of his chair, ready to stride over in case of a confrontation, but when she had tapped ___’s shoulder her features softened.

“Freya is that you?!”

“Jessi?!” ___ exclaimed and threw her arms around her like an old friend. Jessi beamed, holding ___ at arms length and taking in her appearance.

“How have you been, girl? You up and disappeared on us! Sammy told us you had some business to attend to? You’ve changed your look too I see! Is everything alright?”

___ laughed at the multitude of questions. “Yeah, things got a little crazy. Though first, I should probably tell you my name isn’t actually Freya, it’s ___.”

“Really? Well, I’ll probably still call you Freya because that’s what I’m used to.” Jessi replied nonchalantly, smiling.

“I get that. God, it’s so good to see you. I’m only here for one last night of fun with my travelling buddies before I head overseas.” ___ glanced over to Lunafreya and gasped. “How rude of me! This is my friend Luna. This is Jessi, the best damn artist, dancer and baker you’ll meet. She’s a dear friend of mine.” Jessi smiled warmly and thrust out her hand to shake Lunafreya’s

“Nice to meet you, Jessi.” The Oracle said warmly.

“Likewise! So, is it just the two of you hanging out tonight?”

“Oh no, I’m here with some guys.” ___ pointed over to where Ignis and Gladio were sat, who suddenly switched their gaze to each other pretending they weren’t staring. “Two of them are over there.” ___ hitched her weight onto one hip, a swagger taking over her as she continued. “I’m sorta seeing the one who’s wearing glasses.”

“Good for you, he’s hot as hell!” Jessi said, her eyes locked on where Ignis and Gladio sat. “…but who is his  _friend_?!”

___ and Lunafreya exchanged smiles. “Oh…that would be Gladiolus.”

Jessi thrust her glass into ___’s chest, dropping it so that ___ had to catch it before it smashed on the floor. “Ladies, watch closely. I’m about to go mountain climbing.” Without waiting for a response, Jessi was striding towards Gladio, who noticed her approaching out of the corner of his eyes and watched the smirking femme fatale close in on him.

“I…kinda wanna see how this plays out.” ___ said to Lunafreya, still stood on the dance floor where Jessi had left them.

“Strangely, so do I.” The Oracle replied.

When Jessi arrived at their table, she stood between Gladio and Ignis, placing a hand on the back of Gladiolus’s chair, leaning over him slightly so his eye line was parallel to her voluptuous chest, which Ignis could now see was tattooed with two cherry blossom branches. Looking up at her face, he noticed her septum piercing and the piercing through her lip. Ignis recalled a younger Gladiolus confiding in him that he had a weakness for a woman with piercings and tattoos, and knew immediately that his friend was in trouble. “I’m Jessi.”

“G-Gladio.” Gladiolus stuttered. ___ and Lunafreya had quietly taken up Prompto and Noctis’s old seats so that they were sat facing the scene unfolding before them. They huddled together, as if watching a rare creature emerge from the thicket.

“You have an amazing body. Can I touch your chest?” Jessi didn’t wait for a reply, she reached a hand down and squeezed him, not breaking eye contact with Gladio as his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down.

Noting the panic in his friend’s face, Ignis decided to try and intervene. “My name is Ignis, nice to meet you Jessi. Are you a friend of ___’s?”

Jessi turned and placed a finger on Ignis’s lips. “Shhh, handsome…” ___ and Lunafreya’s mouth hung open noticing the shock on Ignis’s face. “Mommy and Daddy are talking.” ___ resisted the urge to stand up and burst into a round of applause. Jessi released Gladio and began to walk away, until she placed a hand on her hip and looked seductively over her shoulder. “Come buy me a drink, sugar.”

Gladiolus almost toppled the chair as he jumped from it. “…Y-yes, ma’am.”

“That…was incredible. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Gladio look so flustered!” ___ said to Ignis and Lunafreya, watching Gladio trail behind Jessi towards the bar.

“Another round of drinks for everyone!” Prompto exclaimed, appearing with a tray full of everyone’s choice of drink.

“Where were you two?” ___ asked.

“Just trying to get Prompto a date for the night. Looks like Gladio has found someone.” Noctis remarked, then nodded over to the bar where Jessi was sat close to a nervous Gladio, her hand running up and down his inner thigh.

“More like the huntress claimed her pray.” Ignis retorted, making everyone snicker.

“You guys missed Gladio stutter!” Lunafreya remarked, her voice a little unhinged after the few beverages she had drank.

“You’re lying.” Prompto said, his face deadly serious.

“I can confirm it definitely happened.” Ignis replied, sipping on his second whiskey.

“Ahh shit, now I’m sad I missed it!” Prompto exclaimed, slamming a palm on the table and causing the glasses to rattle.

“Excuse me, madam?” A young man had approached the table and was stood next to Lunafreya.

“Oh?” She squeaked.

“I was wondering if you would like to dance with me?” He reached his hand out as a gesture, a smile on his lips. He was tall, handsome, his long brunette hair pulled back into a ponytail. ___ noticed the twinkle in his blue eyes as he smiled warmly at Lunafreya, who looked at Noctis as if asking permission.

“I don’t mind!” Noctis replied, shrugging his shoulders. Lunafreya gingerly took his hand and was led to the dance floor, where they began dancing together. ___ and Noctis watched as he placed his hand on the middle of her back, the other clasping hers and moved her around the dance floor with skill to the sensual, salsa inspired track that played. 

 _Slowly, I want to breathe on your neck slowly_  
_Let me tell you things in your ear, so that you remember when you’re not with me_  

Looking down at the table, ___ saw Noctis begin tearing the label from his beer bottle. “You mind, don’t you?” ___ said, nudging him. Noctis’s gaze never broke from the mystery man who was now dipping Lunafreya. “Just go intervene, she’ll love dancing with  _you_.”

Nodding with determination Noctis downed the rest of his beer, then he stood up and strode over to the man. Words were exchanged and the stranger began to grow agitated by the interruption. At the bar, Jessi was nibbling on Gladiolus’s ear, but even his new paramour could not shift his attention from the tension brewing between Noctis and the dancer. He mumbled something to Jessi and left her, walking tall over the crowd towards Noctis. When he arrived at the scene, he flicked his chin up at the long haired man, towering over him. The stranger held up his hands in surrender and backed away from Lunafreya. Noctis fist bumped his friend discreetly, then Gladio moved back to the bar stool and was immediately pulled into a passionate kiss by Jessi, who had witnessed the dispute. Noctis rubbed his neck and said something to Lunafreya, then she took his hand and began dancing with him happily. At first Noctis seemed clunky and awkward, but soon he had settled into the rhythm of the song and loosened up, enjoying the chance to dance with Lunafreya.

___ looked on, feeling like a proud parent as she watched them. To her right, she saw Prompto slump onto his forearms, a sad expression on his features. “Oh man, am I the only one who’s not got a date for tonight?”

“Have you tried dancing with anyone yet?” ___ asked.

“…No.” Prompto bashfully replied.

“Then why don’t you ask a lady to dance with you?” Ignis chimed in, he had decided to order an old fashioned, and was frantically scribbling in his recipe book muttering about various preparation methods.

“I dunno…I feel like I make a crappy first impression.” He perked up, a finger raised, “I can be smooth! Just…not right away.”

“Alright, this is killing me.” ___ said, standing up. “I’ll be your wingman, come on.”

“What?? How are you gonna get me a date?”

“Trust me, Sunshine.” She took his hand and pulled him to standing. Looking at Ignis, she said “Will you be alright, Iggy?”

“Yes…I believe I’ll be conversing with the bartender about this delicious mix…I wonder if he brandied the cherries…” The Strategist replied, not taking his eyes from the drink he was pondering in front of his face.

“Alright, we’ve lost him. Come on!” ___ said and pulled Prompto to the dancefloor.

The music slowed down from the up-tempo number that was playing previously, but the steady electronic beat still provided a sensual sound to dance to. ___ pulled Prompto’s hands to her waist and she wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing her body close as she swayed her hips. Prompto seemed to stiffen at the contact from ___’s body, he was nervously glancing to Ignis, who was now sat at the bar talking to the bartender.

“Is that all you got?” ___ asked, laughing.

“I’m holding back here! Ignis is right over there!” He replied, ___ looked over to Ignis, who was looking to the back of the bar, sipping on a new concoction and nodding happily.

“Oh, please, he’s not watching and we’re only dancing. Come on, loosen up, give them something to look at. Are you scared?”

Prompto frowned, a playful look lighting his face. He pulled her in closer, his hands moving to her lower back, his face inches from hers as he grinded against her sensually. ___ felt a blush creep onto her cheeks as he took control of her body, her heart began pounding as he moved his lips close to her ear and began singing the lyrics to the song. ___ had never heard him sing seriously, the odd line slipped past his lips before he was silenced by one of the boys, but she found his voice enchanting and in this context – arousing.

 _“I can see it in your eyes, ‘cause they never tell me lies, I can feel that body shake, and the heat between your legs._ ” Prompto sang into her ear.

___ placed her chin on his shoulder, trying to hide a bashful smile. “Alright, Prompto, dial it back. I’m gonna catch feelings…plus, there’s a pretty girl who’s watching us on the other side of the dance floor.”

“Got it.” The blonde responded, then they slowly and inconspicuously began moving over to where the young woman stood dancing with her friends.

Meanwhile, Ignis’s attention was fixed squarely on the back of the bar. A casual passerby might have thought he was merely looking at the stock of liquor above the bar, but his eyes were locked on the mirror, watching Prompto and ___ dance. A weight pressing on the side of his body broke his concentration, Gladiolus was leaning on his shoulder, his lips swollen from ravishing Jessi in the corner booth of the bar that he had dragged her over to after the bartender had swatted them away from his bar.

“Woah, have you noticed that Prompto is all up on your woman right now?” Gladiolus said.

“Oh, I’m aware.” Ignis responded huskily, taking a sip of his drink and resuming his attention to the mirror.

“And you’re ok with it?”

Ignis sighed, furrowing his brow. “She’s trying to display his prowess on the dance floor as a method to attract female onlookers so he won’t be alone for the night. I believe she called it being a ‘wingman’? I’m fine… really.”

Gladiolus looked at his friend, he had known him for years, he had practiced the fine art of reading this man. Smiling, he said, “Uh huh…Holding your glass pretty tight there, Iggy.”

“Mmhmm…” Ignis looked over to his smirking friend, trying to take his attention away from the dance floor. “Where is the lovely Jessi? I see you’ve both come up for air.”

“She’s in the bathroom.” Gladio replied, looking over to the corridor that led to the restrooms. Suddenly his face snapped back to his friend. “Ignis…I don’t know what the hell is going on. She’s sunk her claws in me, she’s a damn vixen. I’ve never felt this crazy about someone so quickly before.”

“If you don’t want to continue your evening with her you can walk away.” Ignis replied coolly, taking a sip of his fourth cocktail of the evening.

“What?! No!  _I love it_ …the things that woman can do with her tongue…what’s taking her so long? I better go check everything’s ok in there…” Gladio rushed from the bar stool to wait for Jessi and Ignis chuckled at the sight. He turned on the stool and scanned the dance floor; Lunafreya and Noctis seemed to be having a delightful time, but the real reason for his observations was to find ___ and Prompto. He found them near the edge of the dance floor, having joined a group of other dancers, ___ was talking to an attractive young woman.

While Ignis and Gladiolus had exchanged words at the bar, ___ closed the gap between her and the girl who had been watching them earlier. “Hey, I’m ___, what’s your name?” She asked, leaning to speak into her ear so she could hear her over the music.

“I’m Selphie.” She smiled, her pixie cut brown hair and sparkling green eyes made even ___’s heart jump.  

“I saw you watching us dance, you like my friend, don’t you?”

Selphie blushed a little, smiling at Prompto who was now purposefully dancing elaborately to make her friends laugh. “Well, yeah, but aren’t you two…?”

“Who, us? No way. He’s not interested in me that way, but I’ve heard stories…oh, I really shouldn’t be telling you this!” ___ said, feigning embarrassment.

“No, go on! What did you hear about him? Tell me!” Selphie begged.

“Well…” ___ said, then leaned in close to her ear, the two stopped dancing as ___ confessed to Selphie. Prompto was trying not to stare, but couldn’t help but notice the way Selphie was looking at him, wide eyed, a blush on her cheeks rising. When ___ pulled away, Prompto read Selphie’s lips as she said “ _Seriously?”_ and ___ nodded slowly. Taking Selphie’s hand, she pulled her over to Prompto.

“This is Prompto! Prompto, meet Selphie. Have fun you two.” Selphie immediately began dancing on Prompto, not wasting any more time in being shy. Prompto stared at ___ in wonder over Selphie’s shoulder, mouth agape. ___ mouthed the words “ _You’re welcome”_ and turned to walk across the dance floor back to the table to get her drink. In her peripheral vision, she saw someone approaching her, the crowd parted as Ignis strutted through the dancers, his green eyes burning into her figure.

_You don’t need a lonely night, so baby, I can make it right  
You just gotta let me try to give you what you want_

___ froze in her place, unable to move or speak as he reached her, his hand found her back and pulled her close to him. Leaning down so his mouth was next to her ear, he murmured,  _“You’re not going anywhere”_ then began moving his hips to the music.

 _You’ve been scared of love and what it did to you_  
_You don’t have to run, I know what you’ve been through_  
_Just a simple touch and it can set you free_  
_We don’t have to rush when you’re alone with me_

___ found herself speechless that Ignis was dancing with her, his body that was usually rigid and poised now loose and relaxed against her. Gathering her confidence after the initial shock of the Royal Advisor to the Lucian Crown grinding against her, ___ turned her body so her back was against his torso and began to slowly ripple her body against him. She moved her head to the side, allowing Ignis to rest his face against her cheek, as she rotated her hips so her behind was caressing his groin. The music was loud, she couldn’t hear any audible release from his mouth, but she felt his breath hitch against her skin and his fingers press into her as she danced on him. 

He turned her back to face him, their foreheads touching, his thigh was now placed in between her legs so she could grind onto him, her arms wrapped around his neck as his hands traveled over her body. The room had disappeared around them, no one existed on the dance floor but them; they were completely oblivious to their friends who were now all dancing with their dates staring at them in shock at the sight of Ignis Scientia dancing so sensually with a girl. Deeper into their trance they fell, until at last their movements slowed down to a halt as their lips pressed together. _  
_

Just as their kiss exploded, the dance music stopped and was replaced by the slow, sliding notes of an electric guitar. The drum carried a slow beat as the guitar played a brooding melody. ___ and Ignis pulled away slowly, her arms remained around his neck, his hands wrapped around her lower back as they began to sway to the music.

 _The world was on fire and no one could save me but you  
_ _It’s strange what desire will make foolish people do._

“I can’t believe I’m dancing with Ignis Scientia. Who would have thought this day would come?” ___ said, smiling.

Ignis pulled away so he could look at her face, his eyes warm with affection as he held her close. “Is it so unbelievable? I did have to attend many formal dances with Noctis.”

___ laughed at the thought. “Oh…so you’re telling me you were grinding up on ladies at these formal events?”

Ignis joined her in laughter, his smile sent a shock of electricity through her body. He contemplated her for a moment, before smirking at her and replying. “Would you be jealous if I said yes?”

___ knew what he was doing, but she liked how playful he was being. She pursed her lips. “Yes I would, actually.”

“Then, yes, I grinded on many a senator in my time. Those older women really do know how to have a good time.” Ignis replied, his tone indicating there was nothing amiss about his statement.

___ threw her head back and laughed. “Damn, you’re cold!” Ignis admired her face as she laughed, noting the light in her eyes. He loved seeing her so genuinely happy, but he  _adored_ it when he was the cause of her joy. He lifted his left hand from her waist and found her right hand, interlocking their fingers and dancing more traditionally. Her laugh slowly ceased at the feel of his bare fingers locked around hers. Their eyes transfixed on each other as they gently swayed to the music.

 _I’d never dreamed that I’d meet somebody like you_  
_And I’d never dreamed that I’d lose somebody like you_  
_No, I don’t want to fall in love_

“You look incredible in this dress.” Ignis told her.

“Thank you. I love this shirt, not a skull or stud in sight. Surprising.” ___ said, failing to suppress her giggles as she tormented him.

Ignis scoffed, feigning offence. “Are you mocking my fashion choices, Tueri?”

“A little.” She replied, her chin held up high as she teased him.

Ignis smiled down at her, but his eyes narrowed. “I remember when you first joined us, specifically the way you would look at me wearing my purple coeurl print shirt.”

“So?” ___ replied, unaware of what point he was making.

His voice dropped low as he enunciated each word, “You wanted me.”

___ tried to hide her broad smile. She moved her left hand down to his chest. “I think it was what was  _under_  the shirt that I wanted.”

“Now who’s being so cold?” Ignis responded with a chuckle.

“Well, I  _love_ your grey shirt…I thought of pulling you down by those suspenders and ravaging you many a time.” She replied, biting her lip and smiling.

“Kind of like how I want to tear off this lovely dress you’re wearing in front of all these people?”

 _What a wicked game you played to make me feel this way_ _  
What a wicked thing to do to let me dream of you_

___ glanced around her, finding her friends all dancing with their dates for the evening. Noctis held Lunafreya close, their cheeks pressed lightly on one another, one hand interlocked with the other, their free hands had found each others back. Prompto had his arms hung low on Selphie’s back, looking deep into her eyes, their faces so close as they threatened to kiss one another soon. Jessi had her back to Gladiolus, moving her hips like a gentle ripple through water, blushing at whatever Gladio was whispering into her ear. ___ felt a warmth rise within her knowing everyone was content in this moment, just as she was. 

___ stared deep within Ignis’s emerald eyes, feeling the room around them fade away once more. His plump lips were slightly parted as he looked at her with adoration, the lighting from the electric stars above them highlighting his sharp jawline and cheekbones. The lust she felt for this man was beginning to become too much for her, her heart pounded with an incredible force within her chest.

“When are we going to stop with this façade, ___?” Ignis said, moving his hands back to her lower back, threatening to move down lower. ___ shivered at the feel of his touch through the fabric of her red dress. 

“What do you mean?” ___ said softly.

Ignis pulled her in close, his mouth now next to her ear. His voice low with lust, he said, “We have one evening where we can be alone. If you think that I want to spend it here, in this bar, and not in your apartment making love to you all throughout the night, then you are horrifically mistaken.”

_What a wicked thing to say you never felt this way  
What a wicked thing to do to make me dream of you_

“Shall we leave then?” ___ replied.

“Yes.” Ignis responded.

_And I wanna fall in love with you_

[End of Part XVII]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you would like to support me in writing this fic, I’d be seriously over the moon if you bought me a coffee on my ko-fi page: https://ko-fi.com/atarostarling  
> Please do not feel obligated!!


	18. Alone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is NSFW!

As ___ entered the key into the door of her Lestallum apartment, she felt a shiver cascade over her body as she contemplated what was about to happen once her and Ignis stepped over the threshold. Over the months their connection had grown deeper, but the sexual tension between them had only intensified. In the process of trying not to make anyone feel awkward, their affections had been restricted to restrained kisses around the camp fire once everyone had gone to sleep, or a chaste peck on the lips if they suspected no one was watching. Tonight, they would finally be alone.  

“Are you having second thoughts, ___?” Ignis said, his voice low and soothing as he recognized her hesitation. The combination of the way he said her name and the hand he placed on her upper back was enough for her arousal to begin forming.

“No.” ___ replied as if releasing a sigh, then she unlocked the door and held it open for The Strategist. Ignis walked into the apartment and stood watching ___ as she closed the door and locked it. The clicking of the lock transported them to a place where they no longer had to worry about the sounds of their passion travelling into the ears of their friends. She turned around and leaned against the barrier that now separated them from the outside world and looked at Ignis stood before her. For a moment they said nothing, ___ glanced over his tall, slender figure and felt her heart race at the thought of being able to undress him, of finally experiencing their bodies intertwining. They had spoken about this moment for so long with such confidence, teased each other over what they would do when finally alone, but now they stood awkwardly gazing at one another unsure of what to do next.  

Slipping off her heels and placing her purse on the small table near the door, ___ closed the gap between them slowly and cupped Ignis’s face in her hands. As if they were just two young lovers touching for the first time, they slowly leaned towards each other and delicately kissed each other. Their innocent kiss lingered for a while, their instincts told them to pull away in case they were caught, but the realization of their isolation had their lips pressed together for longer. ___ moved her face away, catching the moment where Ignis’s eyelids remained closed as she withdrew her lips.

Then, the flood gates opened; they both released a desperate sigh and threw their arms around each other and locked themselves in a tight embrace, their lips desperately finding each other, breathing heavily through their noses as their tongues danced between their open mouths. The days of trying to mask their passion were finally over, their kiss was now loud and expressive, the sounds of their breath and tongues acted like a potent aphrodisiac. ___ pulled away, catching her breath as she ran her fingers through his hair. “I’ve wanted you so badly for so long.” She said through heaving breaths.

“Now you can have me.” Ignis replied, his fingers on the zipper on the back of her dress. Slowly he began to pull it down her back. “All of me.” His eyes narrowed, an eyebrow raised, as a seductive smirk appeared on his face. Along her spine ___ began to feel her skin tingling as Ignis slowly released her body from the red dress she was wearing. He still stood close to her, looking down at her, his lips hovered over hers but he would not allow her to kiss him. She smiled at his teasing.

“I intend to make this night one that you will never forget.” Ignis whispered, his hand softly touching the bare skin on her back.

“Is that so?” ___ replied, coyly.

“Indeed. Do you recall a time when you sent me a particularly captivating photograph of yourself?”

One of his hands moved up and down her spine as the other ran over her ass. Trying to keep her composure at the sensation of his wandering hands, ___’s eyes looked up and away as she recalled the picture in question. She couldn’t help but show a self-satisfied smile as she said, “Uh huh. The one in the corset, right?”

“Then you’ll remember the phone call that shortly followed after you sent it.”

“I do remember, yes.”

Ignis placed his hand on the back of her head and gripped a chunk of her hair, pulling it down so she was forced to look up at his face.

“Tell me what I said once we had found our release.” He said calmly.

___ swallowed hard as the phone conversation played over in her mind. Her eyes flicked over his sharp features, he was staring at her like she was his prey; when she recalled his words, the realization hit her. Her body trembled.

“You…you told me you were going to destroy me.”

“ _Precisely._ ”

Ignis pushed her head towards his and locked his lips on hers, stealing the breath from her throat. His hand gripped her ass tightly as his tongue explored her mouth greedily. Biting on her lower lip, he pulled away and ___ saw the insatiable lust in his face as he spun her body around. Marching her over to the full-length mirror that hung from her wall, he stared at her in the reflection as he slid his fingers under the straps of her dress. Keeping his eyes transfixed on hers, he began to undress her by lowering the straps so they draped loose over her arms, then he tugged the fabric from her hips so the dress fell to the floor in a heap at her feet. ___ regarded her body in the mirror, she recalled putting on the lacy matching black and purple bra and panties earlier that evening, hoping that it would inspire confidence in her should her and Ignis spend the night together. Now, however, she felt her heart race with anxiety as she looked at her reflection. Averting her eyes so she was looking at Ignis, who was stood behind her, her confidence began to rise as he let out a stuttered breath next to her ear, his eyes staring at her form in the mirror. He began moving his hands up and down her sides, allowing his fingers to wander over the lace pattern her garment created over the peak of her breast. His fingers spread over her breast and he squeezed softly. Ignis’s other hand moved down her torso and he began pulling the elastic of her panties gently, his fingers moving along the band as she tried to stop her knees buckling. She tipped her body back against Ignis, tilting her neck away from his head to expose her skin to him. Reaching one hand behind her back, Ignis unhooked her bra in a single attempt and released her breasts. ___ gasped as her chest became exposed, Ignis looked at her bosom, her nipples erect, massaging each of her breasts in turn with his hand. He bit her neck as his fingers began tracing her slit over her underwear, she gasped and lifted an arm to place her hand on his back as he began kissing, nibbling and licking around her jaw line while his fingers explored her sex.

“Let me tell you how I’ve been thinking about  _this_  moment for a long time, ___.” Ignis said into her ear, his voice deep with lust, as she squirmed against his body feeling his excitement grow against her back. “I was beginning to think I could not take it any longer…I’ve been  _so_  desperate to watch you fall apart at my touch.” His piercing eyes regarded her in the mirror and she watched her body writhe. His fingers had found her sensitive bundle of nerves and he slowly made circles with his thumb, ___’s eyes fluttered closed as her lips parted. Ignis’s hand moved from her breasts and wrapped around her neck, gripping her firmly, her eyes shot open. He pressed his face against her head and growled, “Don’t you dare close your eyes…look at how stunning you are.” His teeth grazed her ear as she followed his command. Watching his fingers work between her legs, his other hand around her neck and his face buried in her hair, she felt like a deity that he was worshiping.

“Oh, God…” ___ moaned loudly as she felt her arousal intensifying between her legs. His fingers squeezed her neck tighter.

“ _No_ … the only name I want you screaming tonight is mine.” Ignis commanded in her ear, then removed his hand from between her legs as she whimpered. He turned her around and moved her arms so they were wrapped around his neck, then he crouched down and picked her up effortlessly. Ignis walked over to a chair in the living room area of her apartment and placed her in it. As he planted a chaste kiss on her lips, she tried to reach up to undo some of the buttons on his black shirt. 

Gripping her wrists, he thrust them into her lap and told her, “Don’t move an inch, understood?” ___ looked at his powerful emerald eyes, and nodded. “Good girl.” He smiled at her and kissed her forehead sweetly before walking away from her so she was left to face the corner of the apartment. ___ turned her head slightly to try and observe what he was doing, but then the thought of him punishing her further made her quickly correct her position. She could hear him in the kitchen, by the sounds that she heard – ice being put into a glass, the stove being turned on, a mug being removed from a cupboard – she concluded he was making himself a variety of drinks. 

 _What the hell?_ She thought as the water boiled, she could hear the floorboards creaking and concluded he had made his way to her bedroom. His footsteps approached her from behind and he leaned over her, she could smell his cologne as his fingertips ran down her arms, making goosebumps break out over her almost naked body.

“Do you trust me, ___?” Ignis whispered into her ear, he began placing soft kisses along her collar bone while his hands wrapped around the wrists he had placed in her lap earlier.

“Yes.” ___ whispered without hesitation, her eyes closing at the softness of his lips on her skin.

Ignis pulled away and then gently pulled her hands so they were behind the back of the chair. Using what she assumed was a scarf he retrieved from her bedroom, he tied her wrists together. Her lower spine began to send signals to her legs, causing them to tremble as he tied her.

“Are you nervous, darling?”

 _Darling…_ she thought. “…A little.”

Ignis pulled on her hair so that her head dropped back. He leaned over her, chuckling slightly, showing her his knowing smile. “You should be.”He released her hair and walked back to the kitchen, while she tested the knot he had tied. Realizing she was well and truly secure she began to regret all the times she teased him. While she sat and wondered what was in store for her for the rest of the evening, Ignis walked in front of her, allowing his fingers to graze over her breasts as he knelt down on the floor in front of her.

“You’re far too over dressed, don’t you think?” She asked.

He smirked, then reached out and grabbed her face. “You are in no position to give me orders.” Releasing her face with a slight push, he positioned himself between her legs and carefully removed his glasses, folding them and placing them on the coffee table nearby. This was the first time she was seeing him without his glasses on in person; ___ recalled the countless times she had looked at the picture he had taken of himself when they were apart and felt her pulse race. She noticed his hair had flattened after their passionate kiss earlier, when she had ran her fingers through his gelled hair carelessly. Gazing on his uncharacteristic appearance, she felt a strange sense of privilege, but the sensation disappeared and was replaced with panicked excitement once he began kissing her down her torso, brushing his tongue on her skin as he traveled south. He looked up and kissed her lips again, his fingertips lightly circled her erect nipples, causing her to moan deeply into his mouth. Using his thumb and forefinger, he began gently pinching;  ___ squirmed in her chair in response. 

He pulled away from her suddenly and lowered his face to her chest, licking and sucking each of her nipples in turn. Her body jerked forward at the sudden onslaught, which only seemed to spur him on. “That feels so good.” She cried out, she pinned his body between her legs, feeling painfully aware of the fact her underwear was beginning to become soaked with her excitement.

When Ignis stopped he watched ___’s quickened breath begin to settle, then smiled in satisfaction. “How are you doing?” He asked, cupping her cheek in his hand.

“I want you, Ignis, please…please untie me.” Begged ___.

“So soon? Oh, darling…I’ve barely touched you.” He cooed.

___ released a lengthened, desperate grunt, which was cut off promptly when he leaned forward and kissed her neck then moved his kisses down the valley of her breasts, then journeyed slowly down her torso. His fingers lightly brushed the skin on her legs, then he hooked his digits under her lacy underwear and tugged; ___ responded by lifting herself off the chair so he could pull them from her body, she felt self-conscious of how wet the garment was. After Ignis tossed her panties aside, he looked at her, taking in her naked form.

“I could look at you like this all day.” He uttered, suddenly moving forward to kiss her with desperation. While his tongue worked its way into ___’s mouth, she felt his fingers began reaching between her folds and she groaned into his mouth, pausing the kiss. He pushed a finger inside of her and she inhaled, her walls trembled as he pushed more of his fingers inside of her, curling them to conjure more moans into his mouth. She marveled at his coordination of being able to kiss her so passionately and work his hands so expertly. Never before had she began to feel close to orgasm just from a man’s fingers being within her, but Ignis was no ordinary man. The taste of him, his smell, his breath on her skin – it was all enough to drive her into a frenzy.  _Perhaps that’s why he tied me up_ , she thought. Then it stopped, as if he was able to read her thoughts, his mouth moved away from hers and his fingers withdrew from within her sex.

“What? No!” She whimpered without thought to how desperate it made her seem.

Ignis simply smiled and reached for something that was on the floor behind the chair she was sat in. She scoffed in disbelief to see him drinking a glass of ice water, as if he had all the time in the world and she wasn’t sat naked in front of him, a quivering mess.

“Something wrong, my dear?”

___ struggling in her restraints, releasing a laugh in disbelief. “Oh, you know, I’ve never been with a man who takes a pit stop in the middle of a journey, so to speak.”

“Who says this is a pit stop?” Ignis replied, taking an ice cube in his mouth and crushing it between his teeth.

“So, hydrating in the middle of the act isn’t a pit stop? You’re the worst.”

“Is that so?”

Ignis placed his hands on her thighs, pulling her legs apart roughly. Before she had time to respond his tongue was lapping her sex greedily, the shock of his ice-cold mouth contrasting with her warmth made her scream, her body jolted violently in her seat. His hands were still holding onto her thighs, holding them tightly, ensuring she didn’t create a vice for his head. ___ became painfully aware that her hands were tied behind her back; desperately she writhed trying to free a limb and gain control again as Ignis ravished her clitoris and entrance with his mouth. Ignis surfaced from between her thighs and leaned up to kiss her, she could taste herself on his lips. ___ realised he was reaching behind her chair once more, this time he brought a mug of tea and drank, his eyes fixated on hers. He lowered himself again, and gingerly began licking her folds up and down, the heat from his tongue sent the blood flowing to her center. His mouth now acceptably cool, he moved his tongue to cover her clitoris, the heat on his tongue feeling incredible, the tension in her legs released as he massaged every knot from her body with the heat of his mouth. He paused and repeated the process, playing with ice and fire. ___ began calling his name each time he moved back to her sex. Head thrown back, tears pooling in her eyes, ___ felt her orgasm rising. When she thought it couldn’t feel any better, she felt his fingers enter her. Not wanting to give him any tell-tale signs of her arousal, she tried to remain composed, but watching him pleasure her so attentively and enthusiastically made her legs twitch uncontrollably. This was not the first time a man had pleasured her this way, but of course Ignis was different; whereas other lovers would do it as a courtesy, Ignis seemed to take pride in his work. 

She couldn’t control her quickening breath, his name was falling from her tongue before she could try and hide her orgasm. “ _I-Ignis!_ ”

Then it ended. A mortified cry tumbled from her soul. “Please, Ignis,  _please!_ ”

“Oh, ___.” The sound of her name in that low tone of voice made her heart constrict violently. He had begun untying his shoelaces and removing his shoes along with his socks. “Did you think I would let you get away with your discrepancies so easily?” She followed his figure with her eyes as he stood up in front of her, straightening herself on her chair, and watched in silence as he began unbuttoning his shirt. Her cries of agony for sweet release were cut short when she realized she had never seen him without clothes on before. She had been privy to feeling his body against hers many times; she had an indication that underneath the fabric was a toned athletes body, but seeing it with her own eyes was different. When he finally released himself from his black shirt, her wide eyes scanned his torso, drinking him in. His broad, chiseled shoulders, his defined pectoral muscles being larger and firmer looking than she anticipated, the perfectly sculpted peaks and valleys of his symmetrical abdominal muscles leading down to his hip bones that looked sharp enough to cut her…she could not help but feel unworthy of being in his presence.

“You’re perfect.” ___ whispered as he began unbuckling his belt. She glanced at his face and saw a trace of a blush grace his face, throwing her off guard temporarily until he slid down his trousers along with his underwear and freed his erection. ___ licked her lips as she came face to face with his large manhood, wanting to feel it inside her desperately suddenly, but also feeling unexpectedly relieved that he was superbly endowed. 

“Release me, Ignis. Let me touch you.”

Ignis looked down on her, hands confidently placed on his hips. He considered her momentarily, before saying, “I suppose you have been most cooperative until now.”

Ignis leaned over her, kissing her as he began to untie her bonds from behind her back. Finally, her hands were free, and she immediately threw them around his neck and lifted her legs so they were wrapped around his body, her lips collided with his as she explored his mouth with her tongue selfishly. Ignis stood tall, his body easily carrying her weight, moaning into her mouth. The sensation of her naked body pressed against his almost made him lose his composure, he had wanted to make their first time together last for as long as possible, he wanted to make it a night to remember. However, the way she was clinging onto him as if her life depended on it, the way she was kissing him so desperately, his plan was beginning to deteriorate. Moving a few paces back, Ignis lowered himself with ___ still in his arms down onto the couch. Ending their kiss, ___ pulled away from Ignis’s lips and began trailing kisses down towards his neck. She felt his manhood dangerously close to her opening, so she began teasing him by brushing her wetness over him as she bit the skin on his neck. Ignis inhaled sharply, his fingers pressed into her buttocks as his head lolled back. Smiling, ___ began to move her lips down to his toned chest, taking a moment to brush her tongue over his nipple, feeling the nerves between her legs pulsate with desire over the sounds Ignis was releasing. She loved how much he adored to be in control, but the thought of dominating this man was enough to slow down her selfish desire to sit down hard on his cock and find the release he had been working so hard on denying her.

___ slipped off his lap onto the floor and positioned herself between his legs. Looking up at his lidded eyes, she observed his chest rise and fall as she planted soft kisses on the insides of his legs, noticing his penis twitch whenever she hit a particularly sensitive area. Finally, she wrapped a hand around his shaft, which warranted a stuttered sigh from Ignis’s lips as she closed the distance between her mouth and his rock-hard member. Slowly she placed kisses on him, eventually tracing him with her tongue, before taking him deep within her mouth and watching as he dropped his head back and moaned. His fingers found their way to her hair, she expected him to begin pulling her hair to make her suck him deeper, but he merely held her hair in his hand as she began moving her mouth up and down his length. Her tongue traveled over him, worshiping him, craving more of his gasps and moans with each second he was inside her warm mouth. ___ felt his legs begin to twitch, his breathing was quickening, so she used her hand and wrapped it around the base of his shaft as an extension of her mouth. “___…” Ignis moaned, both his hands now entangled in her hair, his mouth open as she released a groan. Desperately he wanted her to stop, but she had stolen his words as she sucked in her cheeks around him, her pace now fast, the sounds of her passion becoming too much for him to bare.

___ withdrew her mouth, and Ignis’s eyes immediately found hers, watching her smirk as she pulled away, the back of her hand wiping away the juices from her mouth. “Oh, honey…did you think you were going to have all the fun tonight?” She purred.

The Strategist growled and launched from the couch, hooking his hands underneath her arms and lifting her off the floor. Her back slammed against the wall, causing her to release a small cry as Ignis pulled her hands above her head pinning her wrists with one hand. He licked her lower lip slowly, smiling as she writhed, her body arched away from the wall longing for his touch.

“I underestimated you. I should’ve known your honeyed tongue would feel so good around my cock.”

“What can I say, you looked too good to resist.” She replied.

___ felt the goosebumps erupt all over her body as he released a sultry laugh into her neck then placed a soft kiss on her cheek. “This brings me back to night behind the bar…do you remember?”

“H-how could I forget?” Whispered ___, gasping as Ignis kissed the sensitive area close to her jawline.

Speaking against her neck he said, “Just like that night I’m desperate for something…”

“Tell me.” She whispered.

Pulling away from her neck, he stilled her rotating hips with his free hand. Looking deep within her eyes, he said, “I’m desperate to feel what it’s like to be inside you.”

___ could tell that Ignis was no longer trying to outmaneuver her verbally, the seriousness in his words made her pause. Her mind flashed back to the moment she first laid her eyes on him, the instant attraction she had felt had only grown and overwhelmed her as time went on. Now he stood before her, his beautifully naked body exposed to her, begging to make love to her. “Ignis, I need you. Please don’t make me wait any longer.” ___ said, her voice brimming with pure desire.

His eyes locked on hers momentarily, then he snaked an arm around her upper back before dipping down to scoop up her legs and lift her so he was carrying her in his arms. ___ clung to his neck, a deeper blush reddening her cheeks, she felt an intense vulnerability whilst being carried, naked, by a man she compared to an Astral. He said nothing as he navigated her towards her bedroom, she stared at his face wondering what she had done to deserve being in this man’s arms. He slowly and gently lowered her onto the bed. She leaned her face close to his and he turned his face towards hers, their lips inches apart, his half-lidded eyes admiring the longing in her face, as he placed her on the center of the bed. He knelt next to her, then lifted a leg over her so his body hung over her, ___ noticed his black skull necklace hanging from his neck and gave in to her urge to reach up and play with it. Ignis looked down at her flushed face as she delicately played with his pendant, her eyes fluttering between his necklace and his eyes, her back arching slightly in anticipation.

“You are so beautiful.” Ignis whispered. The sincerity in his voice and the sweet longing in his gaze made tears begin to pool in ___’s eyes. The hand that was tangled in the chain that hung around his neck now made its way to his cheek, slowly bringing his face down to kiss her softly.

Adjusting himself so he was between her legs, Ignis lined himself up to her entrance and looked into her eyes, as if asking for permission. ___ responded by tilted her hips up to ready herself for him, then Ignis slowly began to enter her. As he pushed himself inside of her, he kissed her gently, but the sensation of her tightness enveloping him made him gasp against her lips. When he was finally completely within her, they looked at each other, as if knowing their relationship had reached the penultimate point of no return. 

“You feel…like you were made for me.” Ignis whispered, then he began to rock his hips. ___ whimpered in agreement, her hands travelling across his muscular back, fingernails lightly digging into his skin. His pace was lovingly slow, their kisses tender as they lived in a moment they both knew they would never forget. ___’s moans became louder as Ignis began to thrust himself harder inside of her.

“Ignis…” She groaned. He began running his teeth along her neck, his fingers interlocked with hers as he held her hands above her head, thrusting harder. She began to feel her orgasm rising once more from her center, then as if she sent him a signal of her oncoming release, he pulled out of her and she mewled underneath him, missing the feel of him instantaneously. ___ was unaware of what Ignis was planning to do next, but before he had a chance to make his next move, she reached up and grabbed his shoulders and pushed him over onto his back.

Ignis began to speak, but she silenced him with a hard kiss, her tongue snaking into his mouth. “I want to fuck you so hard, Ignis. You just feel too good.”

Ignis smiled at her vigor, then brought his hands up to squeeze and massage her breasts. “I do believe I was working on making you  _my_ sex slave, and not the other way around.”

___ lowered herself down around his hard cock, watching his eyes flutter close and a deep sigh release from his mouth. “Are you complaining, Mr. Scientia?”

Furrowing his brow, Ignis pumped his hips up and she cried out. “You know what happens when you talk to me that way.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about… _sir_.”

Ignis growled and lifted himself inside of her again, pulling her hips down to ensure she felt all of him within her being. She cried out and smiled, her eyes closed in ecstasy at how rough he was being with her. “Are you sure about that, ___?”

She looked down, panting, and growled, “Fuck me, Ignis… _hard.”_

___ screamed as he relentlessly thrust himself into her. Her hands on his toned body steadied her as she bounced on top of him, his movements matching her own rhythm perfectly. A sheen of sweat formed on his brow, his pace slowed down, she looked at his beautiful face and began swaying her hips slowly on him, moving in excruciatingly slow circles, ensuring he felt every inch of her walls. His eyes closed as she worked him, his mouth open, trying to stifle the moans he desperately wanted to release.

“Does that feel good, baby?” ___ purred.

“Yes.” He released, unable to say anything else. His eyes opened and he trailed a hand between her thighs, letting his thumb find her clitoris. He began to massage it, watching her come undone. 

“Oh, Ignis… _yes_!” She cried out, quickening her thrusts as he applied more pressure to her. “Please let me cum, Ignis.” She uttered, looking down at him, her cheeks flushed, her eyes full of longing as she searched for permission.

“For you, anything.” Ignis said. He felt a second wave of energy forming at the sight of her falling apart on top of him and pumped into her rigorously. Her breathing began to transform into screams of pleasure as she felt her body tremble at the sensation of her arousal peaking. Finally, at long last, her orgasm surged through her body, threatening to tear her apart. Upon her release, Ignis leaned his body up and kissed her open mouth, as if wanting to consume his own name that she was moaning. She wrapped her arms tightly around him, then suddenly she found herself on her back and Ignis on top of her, still deep inside of her. He pulled his lips away from hers, leaving her still gasping for air as she felt the waves of ecstasy channel through her being. 

Ignis lifted himself to kneeling and pulled her legs up so she was forced to balance herself with her upper body. Finally, she opened her eyes and with her gaze gave him permission to ravage her body for his own release. He began pushing and pulling her around his cock, the angle that he held her was enough to fill her completely, and she groaned unashamedly at the feel of his penis pulsate against her walls, threatening to release his seed inside of her. The sounds of Ignis fucking her hard made ___’s body weak, she tried not to let out a laugh in disbelief as she felt a second orgasm rising within her as she looked at Ignis’s face. His brow furrowed, his eyes travelling all over her body, his lips parted, his breath quickening…

“Oh, Ignis…I’m…” she called out to him trying to warn him, but before she could finish her thought she released another scream of release, which was shortly followed by Ignis’s hard, staggered thrusts inside of her as he found his own release. His groan choked in his throat as he felt his seed fill her, then tiredly he collapsed onto her body. They laid there, their limbs entangled, breathing heavily for several moments. Ignis slowly pulled himself out of her, and she mewled at his absence from within her. His eyes considered her face, she smiled at him through exhausted breaths, and he reached a hand up to push stray strands of hair from her face. Eventually he left her stretching on the bed to go to the bathroom, and returned shortly after having cleaned himself up to hand her a warm, damp towel. He lay down next to her, planting adoring kisses on her face and chest as she cleaned herself, trying to contain a broad smile from his outpouring of affection. When she was done, she let the towel drop to the floor and turned on her side to face him, tracing his collarbone with her fingers.

Catching her hand in his, he brought her fingers to his lips and kissed them. “Was that alright for you, darling?” He asked.

“You’re a man of your word, Scientia…you definitely destroyed me.” Replied ___. Ignis smiled and exhaled through his nose in amusement. “…Was that ok for you?” She asked timidly.

“That was, without a doubt, the best I’ve ever experienced.” Ignis replied, releasing her hand to push a strand of her hair behind her ear.

“You’re just saying that.” ___ replied in disbelief.

Sadness filled his eyes momentarily as he heard her doubt herself. He stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers and soothingly said, “Do you think I’m the type of man who would lie?”

___ was barely audible as she said, “No.”

“Good.” He whispered, leaning forward to steal any more doubts away from her mouth with a tender kiss. He smiled against her lips and said, “You’ll have to forgive me, I’m going to have a severely difficult time keeping my hands off of you now I know how incredible it feels to be inside you.”

“Likewise.” She said longingly, leaning forward to kiss him again. A thought entered her mind that made her chuckle. “What would you have done if I was terrible in bed?”

“It wouldn’t bother me; your enjoyment is my only priority. As long as you were satisfied that would be enough pleasure for me.”

___ shook her head in disbelief. “You’re amazing, do you know that?” Ignis cast his eyes down, allowing her to see his bashfulness at her compliment. ___ continued, “Though…I must admit, I do like the idea of you commanding me like I’m your filthy little whore…”

His eyes quickly found hers, a devilish twinkle in his eyes appearing. “That…can be arranged.”

[End of Part XVIII]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to support me in writing this fic, I’d be over the moon if you bought me a coffee!! ko-fi.com/atarostarling Please do not feel obligated!!


	19. The Rains of Altissia

___ always awoke the same way every morning. Echoes of the screaming, her own cries as she held her dying Father in her arms, his final words to her, the buildings collapsing in flames, the sound of gunfire. The pain from the loss of her home had been easier to bear as time healed the wounds, but the dreams she had every night were a scar to ensure she would never forget the trauma. Opening her eyes, she was faced with an unusual sight: Ignis, his hair falling loosely in front of his face, his naked torso emerged from the sheets on the bed she had slept alone in for months; here he was sleeping peacefully beside her. Her pounding heart stilled quickly after waking from her nightmare as she looked at him, his presence soothing her in a way she had never experienced. She watched him for a short while, replaying the memory of their night of passion in her mind. Unable to keep her hands to herself, she reached over and ran her hand over his firm chest. His eyes opened immediately, for a split second she could see venom in his emerald stare, but when he looked on ___’s face he inhaled deeply and his eyes softened. The Strategist stretched his arms up sleepily as she crawled her way over to lay her head on his chest.

“Good morning.” Ignis said, his voice croaky from his night of sleep. ___ smiled, she was experiencing all sorts of firsts in the brief time they had spent alone together.

“Morning. It’s really coming down out there.”

Her eyes looked out of her window. A flash of lightening illuminated the room. From the living room, they heard the distinct rumble of a phone vibrating and Ignis rushed out of bed to answer it. ___ admired his bare backside as he rummaged around in his trousers which he had thrown off the night before.

“Gladio.” Ignis answered, his voice all business. He balanced the phone on his shoulder as he crouched down and pulled on his underwear. ___ tutted from the bedroom, disapproving of his lack of nakedness, and he turned to her and smiled slightly at his audience. “Yes, the weather might prove to be troublesome. Is Noct with you?”

Ignis remained silent as Gladio spoke over the phone, he found his glasses on the coffee table and placed them on his face.  “I see. Thank you for escorting them back to the hotel. Stay put, I’ll make some phone calls and inform you of the plan.” Ignis walked over to the window, attempting to look at the details of Lestallum through the blur of heavy rain on the glass. He turned over his shoulder to look at ___. “Yes…she is with me.” From the other side of the apartment, ___ could hear the sounds of Gladiolus’s excitement, so much so that Ignis had to remove the phone from his ear to prevent damage to his hearing. “I’ll talk to you soon, Gladio.” Ignis said into his phone, then hung up on his still rambling friend and began dialing another number.

“Yes, I would like to make an inquiry on the status of a booking I made from Galdin Quay to Altissia.” ___ heard Ignis say as she found a robe in her closet and wandered over to where he stood by the window. “Tomorrow? Will my booking still be valid?” ___ snaked her arms around his waist and kissed his back. “Very well, thank you for your time.” Ignis hung up the phone and began to call Gladio.

“Gladio, our journey will be tomorrow. The storm is too violent to travel today. Do you need me to come back to the hotel?” ___’s fingers found their way to his abdominal muscles, her fingertips tracing the peaks and valleys of his toned stomach. Ignis’s fingers found one of ___’s hands and he squeezed gently as he felt her soft kisses over his spine. “Very well. I’ll come over shortly to collect some of my things…See you soon.”

Ignis dropped his phone on the couch and wriggled within ___’s embrace to face her. “I’m going to assume you heard about our situation?”

“Indeed.” ___ said, now placing her kisses on his chest.

“Would you like to join the others?”

“Hmm…”

“Or would you like us to remain here, alone, where I can fuck you all day and night?”

___ looked up at him with a mischievous grin. “Definitely that.”

Ignis cupped her head in his hands and placed a kiss on her forehead, then moved away from her to put on the rest of his clothes. “I’m going to go back to the hotel to collect my bag and triple check Noctis is still alive and well, but after that I will return promptly.”

“Should I cook some breakfast for us for when you get back?”

Ignis paused. He couldn’t remember the last time someone he knew had cooked for him.

“I would like that.”

* * *

Lunafreya stood on the altar in Altissia, Leviathan towered down over her. She stood, confidently, commanding the Astral to give her its blessing. Noctis and ___ waited at the bottom of the imposing staircase that floated in the sky, ready to shield her from harm should it come their way. The Empire would be approaching, an Astral’s presence did not go unnoticed after all. Ignis, Gladiolus and Prompto were working on evacuating the people in the Eastern, Southern and Western quarters of the city respectively. When the citizens were safe, they were to regroup with the Trinity – an official moniker Ignis had given the three whilst planning the operation – and they would depart Altissia immediately before the Empire could find them.

___ looked at the sky, noticing the Magitek engines already approaching on the horizon. The rain that had begun to fall made her eyes sting as she tried to estimate how much time it would take them to arrive. Her thoughts were with the others, the ones she could not see and protect, she stared at the alleyways in front of her waiting to see their figures appear. Then she saw him. In a burst of light, the Rakuyo was in her grasp. Noctis spun around, matching ___’s gaze and saw Lunafreya’s brother, Ravus, striding towards them.

* * *

Glancing out the window when a flash of lightening lit the sky, ___ felt an intense coziness as she and Ignis sat on the floor around her coffee table playing a game of cards. She was in her underwear, wearing only Ignis’s grey pinstriped shirt that he had been wearing when he returned with his overnight bag. It had immediately been discarded after she jumped into his arms the minute he walked through the door. Their early morning love making had been as intoxicating as the night before, Ignis had carried her all throughout her apartment, ravishing her on every surface. They had taken a break to eat and recharge, but every minute she spent admiring him the desperation for him to be touching her grew in intensity. He sat across the coffee table from her, shirtless, with his skull pendant hung around his neck, sitting cross legged in his grey sweatpants. The way he concentrated intently on the cards on the table made her want to fling them aside and become the new focus of his gaze.

Without much thought, she said, “I bet you were popular with the ladies at school.”

Surprised, Ignis looked up at her. “What makes you suggest that?”

“Look at you! You’re tall, handsome, intelligent  _and_  athletic. You tick all the boxes.”

He released a short exhale in amusement and contemplated her words. After some hesitation, he placed a card into the discard pile and withdrew a new one. “Actually, I was teased quite ruthlessly in school.”

“What?! Why?” ___ said, her hands dropping from in front of her.

Ignis mirrored her, dropping down his hand of cards to elaborate his story. “I was selected from an early age to be adviser to the crown, which other children did not take kindly to. That, I could handle, I was told frequently that my title would cause others to dislike me no matter what age.”

Shaking her head, she returned to the game. “They were probably jealous, scared even.”

“Indeed, which is why I paid no attention to it. What did bother me was when they began insulting me based on my appearance.”

___’s eyes widened, looking at Ignis in disbelief. “You’re kidding me.”

Ignis smiled at her reaction, but removed his glasses to clean them on his sweatpants as he spoke. “Well, I was tall, taller than average, which made me stand out. I had a thin frame for a large part of my adolescence. I suffered from quite severe acne and my teeth were also in need of correction. All aspects of myself that others would be quite punishing in pointing out.” Ignis played his turn, then looked up to signal to ___ that it was hers. She was looking at him sadly.

“I’m so sorry. Children can be so cruel.”

“That’s quite alright. Eventually my combat training would cause an increase in muscle mass, I was medicated for my acne and I had orthodontic treatment to straighten my teeth.”

Internally, ___ wanted desperately to see picture evidence of an adolescent Ignis, but she resisted the urge to request it. “Let me guess, suddenly all the girls who used to pick on you were suddenly twirling their hair in their fingers and telling you how smart you were.”

“Correct. Though I would never give them the attention they wanted, not after what they did.”

“It must have felt so good flaunting your attractive self around after being teased for so long, right?”

A small smile appeared on his face. “I admit there was a pride that came with my transformation, but I would never consider myself one to flaunt. I’m not Gladio.”

___ laughed as she exchanged some cards in her hand. “Right…he’s surprisingly sweet for someone so vain.” Looking up from her hands, she took in the sight of Ignis relaxing with her. She had never seen him so calm. “I’m having the best time hanging out with you like this, Ignis. I feel like I can just be myself around you.”

“As do I” Replied Ignis, smiling fondly at ___. Without breaking eye contact with her, he laid down his hand of cards. “I win.”

___ scoffed in disbelief, inspecting his hand for errors but not finding any. This was the first time he was playing the game that she taught him, yet he had won. She threw her cards on the table in mock annoyance. “Ok, having less fun with you now.”

“Do you want to play again?”

“Actually…I was starting to feel like I could use a shower.” ___ said, kneeling upright and unbuttoning his shirt that she was wearing. Ignis’s eyes traveled over her body, admiring how wonderful she looked wearing his clothes. When she had removed his shirt to reveal her naked torso he breathed deeply and looked at her with lidded eyes.

“You  _are_  starting to give off a distinct scent.”

___ gasped and threw his shirt at him. He laughed as he deflected her attack. “Rude!” She said.

Ignis raised himself onto his knees, and leaned over the coffee table, reaching out to her neck to gently pull her towards him for a tender kiss. “Perhaps I can join you in showering? I, myself, feel a need to freshen up.” He said, his voice low.

“Less rude.” ___ replied, smiling into his kiss.

* * *

“Ravus?!” Lunafreya exclaimed, Trident still in hand, she had been descending the stairs when she saw her brother. Leviathan had vanished, she had received her blessing, but a storm still raged from her anger of being disturbed.

“My dear sister…” Ravus said, sincerely, the tension in his shoulders released slightly.

“I know he’s your brother, Luna, but that doesn’t excuse what he did to my family.” ___ growled, primed to attack him. The only reason she had let him get so close was because he shared Lunafreya’s blood.

“Nor mine.” Noctis echoed, summoning his own sword.

“Noctis, ___, please… try and see it in your heart that he’s still a good man who’s simply been misguided. Ravus, I beg you, join us. There is hope with us, believe in me as I do you.” Pleaded Lunafreya.

“There’s no time for that, Lunafreya! I’m here to warn you. Ardyn will be here any minute, he’s going to try and kill you all. He knows that as long as the three of you are alive his victory isn’t assured.” Ravus said.

“Tell us who he is.” ___ spat.

“He’s the Chancellor of the Niflheim Empire.”

“Tell us who he  _really_ is.”

“His real name is… Ardyn Lucis Caelum.”

All eyes found Noctis, who furrowed his brow in disgust.

“ _What did you just say?_ ” Noctis snarled.

“I don’t have time to give you the details, you have to depart!” Ravus cried out, trying to get closer to them, but ___ threw the Rakuyo in front of her to prevent him getting any closer.

“Tell us what you know.” ___ said sternly, her unblinking eyes burning into him.

Ravus sighed. “He attempted to end the Starscourge centuries ago, but the Astrals denied him a place in their realm. It was a brash attempt at saving the people, who were beginning to turn on him after he banished The Draconian’s.”

Noctis glanced at ___, her face looked expressionless, but her eyes were wide in horror.

“When he found out your bloodline had still survived after all these years, he whispered into Aldercapt’s ear stating you were a rebel unit and you had to be dealt with. He knew as long as your name existed he wouldn’t have a chance.”

___ pulled back her lance to grip it tightly with both hands, still pointing it at Ravus.

“You were there that day. Are you telling me you murdered my people blindly, not giving any thought to who we really were?!”

Lunafreya placed a hand on ___’s shoulder, trying to hold her back from charging at her brother, who looked to the ground in defeat.

“…Forgive me. I know my words won’t mean much. I admit I was merely a puppet with a blindfold covering my eyes. I cannot bring back those lives who I have taken…” He looked up at them all, his impatience rising, “But I can warn you right now to  _leave here at once!_ ”

“Why are you helping us? Why now?” Questioned Noctis. 

___ breathed heavily, trying to still her beating heart, trying to imagine Lunafreya’s touch spreading forgiveness into her. Her mind wandered to Reeve, who had submitted to the Empire out of fear. Ravus was no different, she realized, the web of lies he had been tangled in for years all went back to Ardyn. He was the true enemy.

“I’ve seen what he’s capable of…I’ve seen what he really is. If the darkness should come it will be his doing. I can’t stop him myself, but I can at least remain by their side long enough for me to be able to warn you of his movements. Please, trust in me. I beg you.”

* * *

“Is something wrong with the food?” Ignis asked, concerned.

“Hmm? No…it tastes great.” ___ replied, playing with the lunch on her plate with her fork.

Ignis reached out and took her hand. “You look concerned.”

___ released a deep sigh and dropped the utensil. “I’m trying so hard not to be scared about tomorrow, about the future, but I am. I’m sorry for bringing this up, I know we should just enjoy our time together.”

“I understand, it is difficult to forget about our mission completely.”

“Are you scared?” Asked ___.

“I have been trained not to feel fear, only to analyze any given situation as and when it occurs. It is vital that I remain composed and unaffected emotionally in my role.”

___ was taken back by his response. “So you feel absolutely nothing about what might happen after we land in Altissia?” 

“I feel  _something,_ but I wouldn’t say it’s fear. More along the lines of anticipation for dealing with variables. You must understand my mind is always strategizing multiple scenarios to prevent chaos at any given moment. With such an important mission, I simply have no time to feel fear.”

___ dropped her head and smiled.

“That’s understandable. I definitely could learn a thing or two from you. There’s a huge pit in my stomach thinking about what will happen…what if I fail…what if something happens to any of you…”

“We’re quite the formidable force, as long as we keep our wits about us I’m sure our chances of success are high.” Ignis replied, rolling his thumb over her knuckles.

“You’re right. I should stop worrying so much. We’ll be fine.”

“Indeed.”

___ reached and took his hand in both of hers. “I’ll do all I can to protect you as well, Ignis, you know that right?” Ignis opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off. “I know what you’re going to say, that I should focus on Noct and Luna, but I’m there for you too. I want to be there for you. I’ll do all that I can to protect you, because I…I care deeply about you.”

* * *

A deafening roar hit ___, the ground shook violently, throwing them off balance. ___ couldn’t tell which direction the explosion came from, her ears were ringing loudly, so her eyes frantically scanned the sky to find evidence of smoke. When she located its source, her defenses against Ravus dropped.

“That came from the Eastern sector…It came from the East… _Who was guarding the Eastern sector?!”_ She screamed frantically at Noctis and Lunafreya. The color in Noctis’s face faded, his fists tightened, Lunafreya covered her mouth with her hand in shock.

“ _WHO WAS THERE?”_ ___ bellowed. Although she hysterically questioned them, she knew the answer.

Ignis.

“Listen, we’ve run out of time, Ardyn will be here any minute. You need to get Noctis and Lunafreya out of here.” Ravus said, gripping ___’s arm tightly.

“You need…to back the fuck off before I slit your throat.” ___ growled.

A cold, cocky voice sounded through the ringing in ___’s ears. “Ahh…Ravus…are you finally going to finish off the job you failed so horribly at last time?” Ardyn had arrived in a Magitek engine. He swaggered over to them, his eyes flicked between them all, his eyes hungry for violence, deciding what meal to begin first.

“I won’t hurt you…” Ravus whispered to ___, who looked into his eyes, confused by what he said. That’s when she saw it, she saw Lunafreya within him.

_“_ While you deal with her allow me to rid the world of the pointless Prince.” Ardyn said, striding over to where Noctis stood in front of The Oracle.

“I’d love to see you try.” Noctis growled, calling forth his arsenal of Royal Arms.

Before ___ had time to react to Ardyn’s approach, Ravus withdrew his sword and lunged towards ___. His strike was inaccurate, the force behind it weak. Glancing momentarily at his eyes, there was not a ferociousness she expected in a seasoned warrior, but a pleading. Reciprocating his strike, she spun her lance and attempted to hit him, slowing her attack significantly at the crucial moment so he had time to react. Nodding his head in a silent agreement, they continued their dance. Slowly, ___ pushed him towards the edge of the walkway. His heels reached the end of the concrete and panic washed over his face, but she gave him time to look behind him to see that he would fall into open water. Ravus inhaled, ready for the fall, then she nodded and kicked him over the edge.

Lunafreya’s scream pierced ___’s ears, but she knew her friend well, she saw it in her eyes that she was only acting as the distraught sister. Lunafreya knew of Ravus’s abilities with the sword and recognized he was holding back against ___ immediately, so she had been focusing her efforts on supporting Noctis with healing spells. Meanwhile, Noctis was unleashing blow after desperate blow to try and hit Ardyn. He dodged his attacks as if he could see into the future, laughing mockingly at The Prince. 

___ flung the Rakuyo over her head, an orb of fire appearing at its point, “ _Noctis!”_ She cried out, he spun around and saw her attack primed and warped out of the way just in time to avoid ___’s fire attack. The flames engulfed Ardyn’s figure, swirling around him, creating a tower of fire. Noctis warped to ___ and Lunafreya’s side, watching the inferno. Noctis breathed heavily, his energy low, Lunafreya placed a hand on his shoulder and he reached up to grip her hand tightly.

___ let out a small smile, relief spreading through her body as she felt victorious at besting Ardyn. The flames disappeared. There Ardyn stood, unburnt, smirking at them.

“It’s going to take much more than that to defeat me.”

___ and Noctis looked at each other, their eyes wide, as they gripped their weapons tightly and launched themselves at their enemy.

* * *

“Hey.”

“How’s it going?” Noctis said, not taking his eyes off the Justice Monsters 5 pinball machine he was playing. They decided to all eat dinner together before retiring to their separate accommodations for the evening. Noctis had stressed the need for greasy food, so ___ selected a local diner close by. 

Ignis and ___ had ran through the rain to get there, she didn’t own an umbrella having never needed one in sunny Lestallum. As they ran she had laughed hysterically as their clothes got drenched. When they were close to the diner, Ignis pulled her into an alleyway and kissed her, holding her soaked body tightly to him. He had simply told her he “ _had always wanted to do kiss someone in the rain_ ”.

“Are you winning?” ___ asked, not paying attention to the game.

“Always.” The Prince replied, confidently. “So… you and Specs…”

“What of it?” ___ replied, trying to hide her nerves. Noctis had never addressed their relationship directly before, which had always been a concern to her.

“It’s great. He deserves to be happy. I approve.” Noctis said, his eyes still on his game, though she noticed they flicked over at her momentarily.

“Thanks, Noct.” ___ said warmly.

“It was about time he recognized you drooling over him anyway.”

___ placed a hand on her hip. “What are you talking about?!”

“Please. You’ve been checking him out since day one. I notice these things.”

“And what about you and Luna, huh? Did you two have a nice evening?”

By the sounds the game made ___ didn’t have to watch to know he just made a fatal error when hearing Lunafreya’s name. “That’s…none of your business.” Noctis turned to her, jutting his hip out and frowning at her.

“Considering I’m sworn to protect you both, then I think it  _is_  my business.” ___ said, leaning closer to him.

“Considering I’m the King, I decree that it isn’t.”

“Fine.”

“Fine.”

Noctis returned to his game, trying to contain a victorious smile. ___ slowly edged her way until she was leaning close to his ear.

“ _She already told me all about it._ ” ___ whispered, then raised her hand and smacked him on the behind and scuttled away giggling.

“I’ll have your hand for that!” Noctis cried out, blushing profusely.

* * *

Lunafreya stood at the foot of the staircase, clutching her Trident, trying to cast as many healing and protective spells as she could as she stared at the battle before her. Ardyn was relaxed, he smiled as Noctis and ___ threw their weapons at him simultaneously, who were clearly distressed at how little damage they were causing. Her heart pounded, she knew this was could not be the end, but her protectors were running out of energy.

“Enough of this annoying scrapping.” Ardyn said, he spread his arms wide and emitted a dark energy that sucked the life from them all and sent them stumbling backwards. ___ looked up, she could see Ardyn’s form reaching down at Noctis’s lifeless body. “No…” she choked. “NO!”

___ leapt to her feet, her body felt light, the pain of Ardyn’s crushing attack lifted from her bones as she channeled Bahamut through her. She gripped the Rakuyo tightly and crouched low, then released a small prayer, her eyes burning into Ardyn’s back as he held Noctis’s neck at arms reach. Noctis gripped Ardyn’s hands tightly as he struggled for breath. Then, she was soaring into the sky. Looking down she glanced at the Eastern quarter, smoke still billowed but she could make out hundreds of lifeless figures, multiple fires, rubble littering the ground. Targeting Ardyn, she channeled her hatred for all he had done as well as her desperation to beat him into her attack as she pointed Bahamut’s lance down, then she began to plummet to the ground.

Tears stung her eyes as she fell,  _Just hold on a little longer, Ignis_ she thought as she descended. She had him, she was going to finish this. Ardyn looked up, ___ swore she could see his sinister smile leering at her before he stepped aside and missed her attack by inches. The Rakuyo slammed into the ground, splitting the concrete, creating a crater. Her feet tapered to the ground as she regained her balance after the failed attack.

“You’re a pesky little thing, aren’t you?” Ardyn sneered. A flash of light caught ___’s eye, then a sharp pain caused her to scream in agony. Ardyn’s blade sunk deep in her shoulder, blood began to pool out from the fresh wound, she glared at him, seeing Noctis still hanging from Ardyn’s grip, his eyes widening in horror. “I can’t be dealing with you buzzing around me, forgive me, Your Highness, I’ll be right with you. First I must crush the pest.”

Noctis was released and fell to the floor, gasping for air. ___ pulled the Rakuyo from the concrete, screaming in agony at the pain from her gaping wound, and lifted the lance up to block Ardyn’s blow from just a mere dagger. The power he wielded was too much, ___ crumbled to the floor instantly, powerless over the towering figure looming over her. He had taken her family, her home, he had attacked those she loved, and now he would take her life. Glancing at Lunafreya, she noticed the tears streaming down The Oracle’s face. 

“I’m so sorry.” The Draconian said, then she closed her eyes, awaiting death to take her. She felt Ardyn’s dagger plunge into her stomach, then, through her sealed shut eyes, she saw a light and felt a warmth envelope her. She had heard tales of what death felt like, she smiled at how accurate they were, until she heard the sound of Ardyn’s wails.

Opening her eyes, it took her a moment to realize she was still in Altissia, though a blinding light appeared from where Lunafreya stood. Squinting, she could make out The Oracle’s figure, she was floating from the ground, gripping her Trident in front of her. ___ noticed a serene expression on her face, before her attention snapped back to Ardyn who was cowering from the light. His skin burnt in the warm glow and he stumbled backwards, screaming as if the light were flame. Backwards he tumbled, back into the jaws of the Magitek engine he appeared from, retreating from the heavenly light. When he was a mere speck on the horizon, ___ wearily stood and approached Lunafreya. Her voice seemed to sound within ___’s head.

“'When darkness veils the world, the King of Light shall come.’ How foolish of us to grip so selfishly on the fate of just one individual.”

“Luna…what’s going on? What are you talking about?”

“Forgive me, ___. I must depart for now, but I know you will come back for me, won’t you?”

“What?! Don’t you leave me, Luna!  _Don’t you dare!_ ”

“I will be right here, waiting for when you return from the heavens. I promise.”

“ _Luna!_ ”

The light became too bright for ___ to handle, she lifted her arm up to cover her eyes. Finally, she was able to look, and collapsed to her knees at the sight before her. A crystal jutted from the ground, reaching towards the sky, like a diamond tree that grew from the concrete.

“Lu…Luna.” Noctis’s voice sounded behind ___, she spun around and saw the Prince laying on the ground, tears pooling in his eyes, his hand reaching out towards where Lunafreya once stood.

* * *

“Ignis?” ___ whispered, testing to see if he was still awake. They lay on her bed, naked, exhausted from their love making. Her head rested on his chest, his arms wrapped firmly around her. He kissed the top of her head, inhaling the scent of her hair.

“Yes, darling?” Ignis replied in hushed tones.

___ hesitated. “Let’s never leave this apartment.”

Ignis smiled, squeezing her a little tighter and nuzzling her locks. “What makes you say that?”

“I just…never want this to end.”

___ hadn’t meant to get upset, not after the day they had spent, and especially not after the passion they had just exchanged with their bodies. However, the tears fell from her eyes regardless; Ignis felt them fall onto his skin. He ran his fingers softly through her hair as she silently cried into him.

“I know.” He replied, trying not to let his voice break.

Ignis held her there, tightly, until the tears stopped and he felt her breathing deeply. He loosened his grip on her and rested his hands on her shoulder. The sound of her breath, deep in sleep, sounded like a lullaby to his ears. He stared at her naked form, entangled in his, trying to still the beating of his heart. Guilt washed his body as he remembered the lie he told her earlier that day. For once in his life he was fearful for the future. It had been years since he had felt it’s cold grip wrap around his heart, and it was all because he was terrified of losing her.

“I love you…” He whispered, barely audibly and closed his eyes.

* * *

Bleeding, bruised and broken, ___ dragged herself with Noctis draped on her back to the Eastern quarter in the hopes of finding Ignis. Her hand pressed firmly on her stomach wound, she tried to contain the bleeding as much as she could. Around her lay countless bodies of Magitek soldiers outside the blast radius, it looked like an army of a hundred men had downed them. She pieced together the scene that stretched out before her in her mind as she heaved her concrete body across the ruins, the image of Ignis dominating the battlefield singlehandedly as he tried to keep the soldiers from reaching the Trinity. Through the rain, smoke and ash, she saw two forms appear, they were kneeling over something on the ground. She recognized them immediately.

“ _Prompto_!” ___ called out, the weight of Noctis was beginning to become too much for her wounded body to handle. Sinking to her knees, she grimaced until she felt the weight lifted and looked up to see Prompto’s concerned face looking down at her. His lips moved, she heard the sound of his voice far away, but the last of her remaining strength was focused on the form that Gladio was hunched over.

Agonizingly, ___ stood up and shifted towards Gladiolus. The Shield looked at her, a mixture of anger and agony written on his face. ___ didn’t know when her legs gave out, but she found herself on all fours crawling towards the figure that was sprawled out on the floor. Her head pounded as she looked at him, his clothes torn revealing deep cuts all over his body, the gaping wound on his left eye pouring blood all over his face. Coming to her knees, ___ released a soul-piercing scream into the sky before collapsing next to Ignis’s lifeless body.

[End of Part XIX]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to support me in writing this fic, I’d be over the moon if you bought me a coffee!! ko-fi.com/atarostarling Please do not feel obligated!!


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